The Dragon of Bael
by TheMaousEmpire
Summary: Issei was relieved from Rias after he freed her from Raiser. But instead of being stripped of his pieces, he's traded to Sairaorg, heir of the Bael clan. With a new start, he'll make new bonds and grow stronger not for oppai but to show the woman he fell for how big of a mistake she made.
1. Arc I: Life I

**Alright, welcome back. For all those who know of my first story, hopefully you like this one. It's new, it's different (hopefully) and I hope you like it.**

 **Don't worry, the next chapter for Naruto will come soon. It's just that I'm in school and it's been really hard to find the time to write. I'll work in tandem with these two so bear with me.**

 **Thank you, and enjoy.**

Issei was making his way to the old school building. He was excited to continue club activities with the rest of the ORC members and continue his life as a devil.

He had defeated Raiser and saved Rias from her marriage. A few devils may hate him but he didn't care. Nothing could make him happier than to see that huge smile on his master's face.

He had saved the woman who had given him a second chance at life. And...just maybe, she would see him as more of a man. They did kiss after all.

"Afternoon Buchou!" Issei called as he walked into the clubroom. He held his hand high as he waved to everyone with a bright smile.

"Issei, perfect timing," Rias spoke from behind her desk. She wasn't as happy as the brunette. In fact, none of the other ORC members were as happy as the boy. They were, actually, very quiet and distant. It almost seemed like they got the worst news possible.

It was just like how they were when Raiser first arrived.

Could he be back with a vengeance possibly?

"What's wrong everyone?" Issei asked with concern.

No one said a word. They just had these looks of sorrow. Except for Rias. Her eyes had become sharp and cold. Something he saw only in Koneko, or Sona-kaichou.

"Issei, you've saved me from my marriage and for that I'm very thankful." Rias spoke with true sincerity. She was truly sincere saying that. Nothing could have made her happier than to be free of that womanizing asshole.

The brunette, on the other hand, felt wary of his master. He saw her words as something worse. The undertone and hidden meaning he could sense coming despite her joyous tone and positive words.

"However, during the Rating Game your powers failed me and the only way you beat Raiser was through holy items and the sacrifice of your arm," the redhead explained, her eyes narrowing half an inch.

Issei felt a chill run up his spine from the look on her face. It was quite scary, seeing as the only other person who gave him such a look was...Raynare.

The moment she called him worthless trash and tried to end his life once more in the abandoned church. That look of disappointment and lack of pity. That look was one he knew something bad was right behind.

He froze from her eyes, feeling the trauma of that gaze burning to the back of his skull. And to see it in Rias's eyes. His savior's eyes.

It was almost mind breaking.

"I'm going to give it to you straight, Issei. I can't rely on you using these tactics time and time again. Situations like this may arise once more and stronger opponents shall come before you," Rias stated, thinning her lips with a firm gaze. "How long will it be before you sacrifice everything to that Sacred Gear? Or face an opponent that holy items won't work on? Will you try to grow stronger or will you continue to be a pervert and peep with your friends?"

Issei took a shaky step forward. "Buchou, I promise I'll get much stronger! I told you, I'd always protect you!"

"I know what you said Issei. But I can't take that risk when I trusted you the first time and you fell so short. I thought you would be much stronger than you were and it looks like I made a sloppy decision."

"W-What are you saying...Buchou?" Issei asked, is voice shaky as his whole body shivered. He never felt so cold, so alone.

He was isolated.

"Issei. I'm trading you to another devil's peerage."

...

...

...

Silence filled the room. A slight weight settled on everyone's head as the brunette stood there, unmoving. He didn't speak, he didn't flinch, it didn't even look like he was breathing. But then again, he must have lost his breath after hearing that he was now being sent to another devil.

...

"..."

...

"..."

...

"..Did all of you agree to this?" Issei asked quietly.

His fellow reincarnated devils said nothing. They exchanged looks of concern between one another.

The boy's voice had changed slightly. It wasn't shaking anymore and seemed dark. It was also colder and more monotone than anything. It was mechanical the way he asked the question.

"Asia...?" He spoke up. He slowly rose his head to the blonde girl. The former nun he tried to save from his ex-girlfriend. "Do you feel the same as Rias?"

The girl said nothing. It was obvious she didn't want to answer. Not because she was agreeing or disagreeing but because she felt her opinion would change nothing. It would only get her into trouble if she dare spoke her mind.

The look on Rias's face answered that.

And as Issei looked around the clubroom, he could see that everybody had a similar response to him. The Gremory heir had her leashes wrapped around them. This was a prepared move by Rias but for how long?

Since he lost? Since he saved her? He didn't want to think too long on it.

"I...I see..." He muttered. "Well, if I'm such a failure, why send me to someone else? Why not kill me like-"

"It was of a personal request," Rias answered quickly. The last thing she'd do is be compared to that fallen angel who feared this boy would grow very powerful.

What a joke.

"Someone personally requested this trade?" Issei asked, sounding surprised by the reply.

"Yes, your fight with Raiser peaked his interest. He said I was lucky with how you fought with such passion, all for my sake. When I told him you had fulfilled your role, he quickly offered to trade me for you," the heiress explained. "I was a bit hesitant but, after some quick thought, agreed."

Issei felt heart broken and could feel tears coming to his eyes. His savior, his master, his love interest, was treating him like trash. She was throwing him away after he saved her from what was a terrible marriage. And he made sure that no other suitors would try to take her away from any of them again.

He had cleaned up her mess and possibly saved her life. But, in the end, he just found himself being swept up and thrown away. As if he was just some fight dog that had one good bout and now was being put down.

Talk about a worthy reward...

"Why string me along then?" Issei asked quietly. Rias rose a brow at this, confused by the question. "You had me work hard and train my butt off. You told me how you believed in me and was so proud of me. How I could do amazing things if I just put my mind to it. So why, why build me up just tear me down. Answer me that..."

Issei was trembling. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were turning white. It was obvious of his distraught and the rest of the ORC was upset to see him in that state. And yet, they still said nothing.

Rias, however, spoke up. "Issei, you can do some very unique things. But it's the costs I can't afford. Your perverted technique is shameful, you cannot hold many boosts without draining your stamina afterwords, and the only reason I'm here now is because Asia is a former nun and you gave up your left arm."

The redhead's eyes were cold and authoritative, showing her position above the pawn. "I told you before, it's only a matter of time before you run out of body parts or we face an opponent that holy items won't work against. I need strong beings Issei, not a perverted child. You're just not enough."

...

"Rias, I think you've said enough," a new voice boomed.

The entire room fell into a tense silence as a magic circle lit up in the corner behind the group. It was bright and felt different from both the Gremory and Phenex's circles. It was powerful and the raw power it exerted alone was enough to put Issei on alert. Everyone else, besides Asia, expected this person's arrival and stayed silent, despite also feeling overwhelmed.

As the light faded, it revealed a young man around their age. He was tall, dashing, and packed with muscle from head to toe. His clothes only enhanced their size by how tightly they strained to him.

"Sairaorg, you're early," was Rias's response to his arrival. The young man looked back at her in return, staring at her for some period of time.

Her blue-green eyes met his amethyst as they said nothing. A tense moment of silence between them was shared, causing the others to look between each other with concern. But it wasn't long before the new face spoke.

"My apologies. I got a bit ahead of myself. I just had to meet this generations Sekiryuutei," Sairaorg answered. He then folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "However, I didn't expect to arrive and hear you belittle him so."

"I'm not belittling Issei. If anything, I'm telling him of what I think he'll accomplish. He's the weakest Sekiryuutei by far," Rias snapped back with an ice cold tone.

Her remark made Issei feel even worse as his broken heart was continuing to be smashed into dust. His head fell lower and his eyes sunk deeper as the tears were so much closer to falling. He could feel his world shattering as the woman he looked up to tore him down, as if he was some broken toy.

Was this what the world crumbling around him felt like? A feeling of emptiness as everything he put his effort into was suddenly destroyed? This moment of darkness that surrounded him and made him feel so alone and isolated?

If so, it started to grab a hold of him as he felt weak, tired, and most of all, disgusted. Not at Rias, or at anyone of the club, but himself. He believed he was completely worthless. That everything he did could've been avoided if Rias hadn't wasted her time on someone as pathetic as him.

Sairaorg noticed his new pawn's behavior and his eyes narrowed further.

"Rias, I'll be taking Issei with me. For good," Sairaorg stated, with little room for argument.

This shocked the group, Rias included.

"What? But he's a student here, as well as a club member," she replied hotly.

"He'll be transferring. I'm not going to leave him in an environment that is detrimental to his health," the older male replied.

"But-"

"You don't need him. He's not your Pawn anymore." Sairaorg flared a bit of his power to prove he was serious about this. Rias wasn't ready to back down as she flared her own.

"He's still a part of my club!"

"But he's of no use to you anymore. Isn't that what you just told him?"

Rias grit her teeth. While removing him from her peerage was one thing, completely taking him from her was another. Issei still had some use to her and could have been called on at anytime if need be.

For her cousin to take him away meant losing a valuable asset if a bad situation came up. Weak or not, the Sekiryuutei was still a useful pawn, even if he wasn't hers. She knew of Issei's desires to protect his friends and could've used that to manipulate him if such an occasion called for it. He wasn't much but she was hoping that she'd still be over him somehow. Keeping him as a 'just in case'.

"Issei, what do you say? Will you join me?" Sairaorg asked, holding out his hand to the boy.

"You're giving me a choice?" Issei asked, genuinely confused by the older male. He looked at the outstretched appendage before looking up to the devil.

There was no ill-intent or any opposing motives. Of course Issei wasn't the best at picking up on those.

Sairaorg, however, seemed like a genuine guy and he looked honest in his words. But why go so far just for him if he didn't have any ulterior motives? There had to be something else if he was being so nice. It seemed Rias had.

"Why wouldn't I?" Sairaorg asked back, just as confused.

"Buchou told me of how devils would kill for a piece like me. How they'd do anything necessary to obtain me, because of this..." he replied slowly, lifting his arm and activating the **Boosted Gear**.

Sairaorg stood there for a moment, silent. But he soon placed a firm hand on Issei's shoulder, causing the boy to look up in confusion. The devil smiled reassuringly, giving a small sign of comfort to the younger devil.

"Issei, I'm not going to lie. Being the Sekiryuutei is a big part of why I want you. But, I won't do anything that will put you in a tough position. I only ask that you strive to be the best and grow as an individual so that we may come together as partners, equals even," Sairaorg stated firmly.

"You mean...I could actually grow to a High-class devil?" Issei asked, his eyes remaining the life they lost from before.

"Of course! Hell, with the way you stayed on par with Raiser, I'm surprised you weren't offered Middle-class," Sairaorg replied. His smile widened and it fueled Issei, contagiously appearing on the brunette's face as he gripped his fist tighter.

"If you really believe in me, I'll do it!"

Issei looked down at his guantlet covered hand and clenched it into a tight fist. He would get stronger and prove to Rias that he wasn't weak. He'd make sure she regretted trading him and, just maybe, see him in a different light. He'd make sure all of them knew, that Issei Hyoudou wasn't just some one and done type of dude. That he still had fight in him and room to grow much stronger.

No matter what, he'd make sure all the devils knew, he wasn't the one to be fucked with. He wasn't going to give up now, not when his odds were starting to look good. He still had a dream and it will damn sure come true!

Sairaorg, in turn, smiled wider and held out his hand once more. "Well then, Issei, partners?"

Issei grinned, now fueled with a new fire. It burned with confidence and determination as he now had another chance to better himself. His light was lit a burning brighter than ever. Now was the time to capitalize on the gift he was given.

Issei stepped over to Sairaorg as the magic circle appeared below his feet. It shined brightly, signaling that it was teleporting them. However, just before the duo left, Issei could see the sadden looks on everyone's face. They looked as if they were actually going to miss him, which made him frown.

And then he turned to Rias to see her blank look. She didn't seem to care as she stared with no signs of emotion whatsoever. His frown only deepened as the last seconds ticked away and both Issei and Sairaorg vanished with the flash of bright light.

 _'I'll be back Rias. And I'll make sure your face is filled with shock and surprise next time you see me.'_

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Tou-san, Kaa-chan, I promise to write and visit when I can."

"Issei, are you sure you want to do this? This is so abrupt!"

"Yeah, going across seas is a big move!"

Issei stood in front of his house, just outside the doorway with his parents. The brunette wasn't a heartless son so, before he would leave from the Underworld, he had to make sure he didn't up and disappear without telling them. He wasn't going to make them worry about him and he had to make sure they were at ease before his departure.

"I know, but I want to see more than just Japan. Having this opportunity...I can't just pass it up," he replied, still uneasy and nervous.

His parents were right, it was a big move with what he was doing. Especially since it was happening so fast. But who knows what would happen to him if he stayed, so maybe a change of scenery would do him some good. He still had ties with the ORC and a small connection to the Student Council. Staying near them both would only make him sulk worse with how close the two kings were, despite their deal of separation. So it was best to just avoid it all together.

"Issei, you can't be serious. Europe is so far away and you know nothing about it. Or where you're going!" The boy's mother argued. She didn't want her child to leave yet as she cherished little time with him. It felt like yesterday that he was in diapers, clinging to her no matter where she went.

What happened to her baby boy?

"I have someone to help me out, Kaa-chan. He'll have my back throughout this entire transition," Issei reassured, trying to calm her. She was always so overprotective of him and he appreciated that.

It was a bit embarrassing at times however.

"You promise to call?" His mother asked.

"Of course. Whenever I can."

"You have everything you need?" His father asked.

"Yup, all set."

"We love you Issei. No matter where you are, if you're in trouble call us and we'll be there as soon as we can," his mother stated. His father nodded firmly, enforcing his wife's words.

It put a smile on Issei's face as he stepped forward and hugged them tightly. "You two are the best parents a kid can ask for. I'll see you as soon as I can, promise."

He released them from his grasp before turning around. Sairaorg was leaning against a black car, waiting for him with his arms folded.

"Ready to go?" He asked with a grin.

Issei grinned back and nodded his head. "Yeah!"

The duo then entered into the back seat of the car. Issei's parents waved him off as the car drove down the street. They never stopped until the car turned the corner and disappeared from their sight.

"You think he'll be okay?" Issei's mother asked, still worried.

"He'll be fine. He's all grown up now. We can only have faith in him as his parents," his father assured.

"Yes, hopefully all of our cooking lessons will pay off too. And cleaning. And what to do in case of-"

"Heh, I wouldn't worry, he's well trained, dear. He'll probably be the best damn cook on campus anyways. Had to give him something to impress the ladies." His father was confident as he grinned. If there was one way to capture a woman's heart, it was cooking.

"It impressed me all those years go," the female brunette replied, backing up his thoughts.

Mrs. Hyoudou's tone was low and sultry as a sly smirk appeared on her face. Mr. Hyoudou smiled in response, knowing exactly what she was hinting at as he grabbed her waist..

"Hehe, well then, let's relight the spark from all those years ago."

"Ufufu, let's."

 **Alright, done and done. This story feels good to me so far. I think I'll have a lot of fun with it and do a lot for you guys.**

 **As you can see, this is a fresh start for Issei. I was curious of what would happen if Issei went to Sairaorg. The reason I started after Raiser was because of two reasons. 1) I want Issei to grow differently than when he had with Rias and 2) because it's just before Issei began to make real bonds with the group. The closest he had was some affection with Rias, which she could fake, and his bond with Asia which will be vital later in the story.**

 **As for now I left a hint as to where Issei will be going and hope some of you can guess the slight crossover I'll have. Hope you all enjoy, peace.**


	2. Arc I: Life II

_**Alright, I've returned with the next chapter. It came much faster than I thought and I did my best not to keep many waiting too long. As for the reviews and such, I loved them thank you. Hopefully I can create an amazing story that all of you look forward to.**_

 ** _As of now I'm going to answer a few of the questions I read in the reviews._**

 ** _As to Issei, he'll be the same loveable pervert but it will be a bit tone down as I don't think I can completely nail is super perversion. Hopefully it's not too noticable._**

 ** _Next would be the Excalibur arc. I've got it planned out, no worries. As for now, things will be building Issei up and setting his new life. Which shouldn't be much longer, maybe a chapter or two._**

 ** _And finally is Issei's harem situation. For all to know, Asia will still be apart. She holds important feelings towards him as he does for her. I won't change that about their characters as I've already done enough to them. Further additions will come along soon as you'll see next chapter and so on._**

 ** _Thanks for reading this lengthy A/N and do enjoy the chapter._**

Issei didn't know what to expect. Despite coming to the Underworld less than a week ago and seeing the magnificent estate the Phenex's owned, nothing could prepare him for the new place he would soon be calling home.

"Y-You've got to be kidding me..." Issei choked out.

"Nope. This will be your new home, Issei."

Sairaorg patted the brunette on the back, smiling brightly as he climbed the steps to his home.

Issei could only stare at it in awe, at a loss for words as his eyes traveled farther up to try and find where the building peaked. It seemed massive, easily toppling the size of the Phenex's home. He could say it was the biggest home he's ever seen, and probably will see.

There was absolutely no way Issei could become accustomed to such a large place. He felt he was going to be getting lost inside many times if he didn't have someone to help him.

"That is enough gawking Issei, we have much to do while there's still daylight to burn," Sairaorg stated, continuing into the large...palace? Could Issei even call it that? No, it was much bigger.

But, with little time to think on it, the pawn followed behind his king.

"It'll be quite lucky if everyone is at the training ground. That way you'll be able to meet your new friends and allies," Sairaorg said as he begun to walk down one of many halls.

Issei stayed silently, taking in all the details of what he could describe as a glorified castle. The walls were aligned with amazing paintings and items that looked very rare. The floors were spotless and shining to the point he could see his face. And the ceiling had beautiful chandeliers hanging, shimmering as the large windows allowed the light to shine through.

"So Issei, I must ask you," Sairaorg spoke up, snapping the brunette from his awe-stricken staring. "Why did you give up your arm for Rias?"

Issei blinked a few times before looking down. His _**Boosted Gear**_ sat there, it's emerald gem glowing as if recognizing the older teen's words. He too wondered for a moment on why he did but easily found the answer after a few seconds.

"Because she saved me," he answered, sounding as if he was talking to himself than answering. This made Sairaorg knit his brows and look back at the boy, also noticing the confliction in his servants voice.

"She saved you?" He asked slowly. Issei sounded almost confused to answer and Sairaorg was curious as to if that was truly the case.

"Yes. When I was a human, I was targeted by a fallen angel. She had murdered me in cold blood and, just before I died, told me that my Sacred Gear was dangerous. That with it, I may cause a lot of destruction and kill a lot of people. Basically, I was a threat, or could be, to someone. So, I was killed out of fear."

Sairaorg stared at Issei for some amount of time. By this point they had stopped walking and were just standing in the hallway. Issei had his head lowered and looked troubled by his slight trembling. His Sacred Gear was glowing ominously, obviously responding to his emotions. Whoever was worried of the Red Dragon had a right to be. Issei would become very powerful in the future and Sairaorg wondered how Rias could have missed something like this. The sheer amount of power Issei radiated was enough to put even him on alert.

"But just before death could take me, Buch-, I mean Rias-san, turned me into a devil and gave me a second chance at life. She was someone who gave me strength and believed in me, that I could accomplish anything. And for once, I felt like I truly could. Then Raiser came along... I just wanted to pay her back for all she did for me."

Issei grit his teeth and clenched his fist. Despite it all, in the end, she told him he was too weak to stay with her. That despite all of it, no matter what he did, he'd never be strong enough to protect her. That no amount of sacrifice he could make would be enough to keep her safe.

Sairaorg took notice of his distress and conflictions. All pointing to his former master who supposedly was his savior. It seemed Rias had a heavy impact on him.

"So Issei, with all that's happen to you, what do you plan to do now?" Sairaorg asked, folding his arms.

The brunette didn't need any time to think on it. He already decided with what he was going to do. So he clenched his fist and quickly wiped his tears. There was no time to dwell on the past.

"I'm going to grow stronger. I'm going to prove that I'm not weak! I'm going to make Rias see me as someone worthy of her! And, most importantly, I'm going to strive for my dream to become Harem King!" Issei shouted, pumping his fist into the air.

The heir blinked a few times before chuckling. He quickly tried to stifle it with his fist but it was hard to control. Eventually, he couldn't contain himself and he started to laugh aloud. He clutched his sides as tears stained the corner of his eyes.

Sairaorg expected the first part of Issei's claims but the last bit caught him by complete surprise. Of all the things he prepared himself for, that was the least likely. Although it was not unheard of, it was still a surprise that that was his goal despite the recent events.

"Oh, oh my, please excuse me, ahahaha. I never expected you to have such a passion for that kind of dream Ise," Sairaorg said, trying to explain his sudden outburst. By this point, the Bael heir was hunched over, his arms wrapped around his gut in an attempt to ease the slight pain in his stomach from laughing so hard.

Issei had already expected the reaction. Everyone laughed at his dream as it was something people thought was unattainable. It didn't deter the brunette from his dream and so he had become somewhat use to it. It was just odd that even devils laughed about it when Rias told him that polygamy was encouraged in the supernatural world. Maybe she was just trying to boost his morale at the time.

"However, I'm sure we could do something about that in the near future," the Bael suddenly said.

"...Wait what!?" Issei asked, double-taking towards his king.

"Yes, it's quite easy to build a harem. The stronger you are the more women will flock to you. And it just so happens your king is the strongest devil of our generation," Sairaorg boasted, flexing his arm and patting the bicep with his other hand. "I'm sure with what I have planned, women will be all over you in no time."

"R-R-Really!? You truly mean it!?" Issei had stars in his eyes, completely sold on training under his new master. He couldn't contain his excitement as he begun to bow at his king's feet, worshipping the older male as if he was a god.

"Haha, seems I sold you on that, huh?" Sairaorg asked with a toothy grin.

"Hell yeah! I'm so ready to get stronger!" Issei replied enthusiastically, pumping his guantlet clad fist.

Sairaorg grinned in response and too pumped his fist. "Excellent. Then we'll introduce you to everyone else and begin your training immediately."

"Hai Buc-" Issei suddenly paused. "Eto...what exactly do I call you. I'm so use to Buchou because Rias was my club leader. But I don't have a title for you."

"Don't worry about it. Just call me Aniki if you'd like."

"'Aniki'? But wouldn't political officials or superiors get pissed at me for calling you something so informal?" Issei asked in confusion. "You know, the whole servant-master BS."

"Yeah but who really cares about that. I've never been one to like such pompous titles. Makes me feel like an old man," Sairaorg replied lackadaisically.

Issei smiled in return, a warm feeling filling his chest. He felt relaxed and comfortable around his new master. "Hai, Aniki!"

The duo then continued down the hall, a lighter mood held between the two.

"So are there any particular traits you want in a girl?"

"Large oppai, big enough to squeeze, and suck, and sleep, and all of that!"

"I see. Well I'll keep that in mind."

"Thank you so much, Aniki!"

"Hey, don't thank me, it'll be from your power that such women come to you."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I'll make sure you become the strongest Sekiryuutei in existence. Past, present, and future. The White One won't know what hit them."

This made Issei pause. He stopped mid step as his arm suddenly pulsed. He winced in pain and grabbed his arm instinctively. Sairaorg noticed and turned back.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I don't know... My arm just started acting up when you mentioned the 'White One' or whatever," Issei replied.

"Have you heard of them?" Sairaorg asked. Issei shook his head. "Hm, well it'll be a story for a later date as we still have some time. For now, your main concern should be growing stronger."

Issei was slow to nod his head. With the way his king spoke of this White One, it made it seem like something serious. Was there some hidden destiny between him and this White One? Was he like some weak ass protagonist who was going to have to fight this super powerful being that called him their eternal rival?

...

Welp, as long as he gets his harem, he didn't care who he had to fight. He'd beat whoever the hell this White One was!

"Here we are," Sairaorg announced.

Issei came out of his thoughts to find himself outside. He and Sairaorg were standing outside under a walkway, the latter looking out into a large open space. When Issei turned, his eyes widened to the size of saucers.

In the open field a group of people were training. They varied in size, gender, and powers, but all of them looked incredible as they sparred or practiced, looking incredible to the boy.

"Don't fall behind, I have to introduce them to you," Sairaorg said as he walked out into the field. Issei paused for a bit longer, catching a glimpse at who he assumed were his partners.

The group quickly took notice of Sairaorg walking towards them and immediately began to wind down whatever they were doing.

"Sairaorg-sama, you have returned," one of the girls said as she stepped to him and bowed.

She was young, around Sairaorg's age. She had long flowing blonde hair, tied in a ponytail, with bright blue eyes that were almost like crystals. She was dressed in a light, flowing white dress, that matched her porcelain skin amazingly, and wore a matching set of sandals showing off her delicate feet.

Of course Issei could only notice how big her breasts were, ogling at them with wide eyes. They looked luscious and squeezable, drool pooling from the boy's mouth as he imagined how'd they feel in his hands.

"Issei, come over here, you have to meet everyone," Sairaorg called back to the daydreaming pawn.

Issei snapped from his thoughts at the call and rushed to his king's side. Now was not the time to perv out.

Everyone had their eyes on him as he came forward and Issei nervously stepped beside Sairaorg who grinned and placed a hand on top of Issei's head.

"Okay everyone, here's our new member of the family. This is Issei Hyoudou, he's my first and only pawn, so be sure to look out for him," the heir announced loud enough for everyone to hear.

Issei felt embarrassed being at the center of attention. Despite the lack of numbers, Issei could feel the power radiating off of each and every one of them. They weren't as strong as Sairaorg but he could tell that they were much stronger than everyone at the ORC. Hell, they were stronger than even Raiser's peerage.

 _ ***Clasp***_

Issei jumped a little as he felt two soft delicate hands wrap around his. When he looked up, the blonde from before was smiling at him with an amazing amount of warmth.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. For you to be Sairaorg-sama's only pawn, it must mean you're an amazing individual. I look forward to working with you," she said, sounding genuine and kind.

"L-Likewise," Issei stuttered out, blushing at how close she was. Most girls didn't even get near him but she was so quick to greet him and make him feel welcomed.

"This is Kuisha Abaddon. She's my Queen and basically the mother of the group. If you need help with magic or just any basic needs she'll be more than happy to help," Sairaorg explained with a warm smile of his own.

Issei only nodded his head. It was then that another member stepped forward and he turned to meet them.

It was a woman who looked to be in her early to mid twenties. She had long wavy blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and equally porcelain skin to Kuisha. She was dressed in a grey business suit with a matching skirt, black thigh-high socks, and matching grey heels. Overall, she had a serious and stoic feel about her as she looked at Issei with emotionless eyes.

"I am Coriana Adrealphus. I am a Bishop of Sairaorg-sama and I hope we can get along," she said with no hint of emotion. However, Issei thought he heard a slight hint of seductiveness but pushed it aside for staring at her large breasts that seemed to be the biggest of the groups.

Next, Issei came to meet a young man. He had short cut black hair with dark brown eyes. He was dressed in an outfit Issei could compare to a priests robe, except it lacked a cross and held an image of a castle instead. And in his hands he held a creepy staff, one Issei didn't trust getting anywhere near.

"Hello, I'm Misteeta Sabnock, Sairaorg-sama's other Bishop. It's a pleasure to be working with you from now on," he greeted, bowing his head.

Issei quickly bowed back, not wanting to be rude. The staff was scary but the guy seemed nice. As long as it stayed away, he could get along with the guy.

Issei then turned and met the next member. He was a tall, lanky man, standing a full head above him. He had long jet black hair and matching onyx eyes that seemed to pierce through his very soul. The brunette felt chills the longer the tall man stared at him.

"That's Ladora Buné, my second Rook. He's not much of a talker but he's a very reliable teammate," Sairaorg stated, placing a comforting hand on the pawn's shoulder.

 **"Red Dragon..Ddraig..."** Ladora said plainly. It made the others look at him in confusion before turning to Issei. The brunette didn't know how to respond and looked at Sairaorg for help. The Bael heir laughed in response, confusing everyone around.

"Keen as ever, eh Ladora. But I'll explain that after introductions are done."

"I shall go next then," someone spoke up.

Issei turned back and came face to face with another man. He was a very handsome man with short blonde hair and light grey eyes. He was like an older version of Kiba in the pawn's eyes and he felt a similar spark of jealousy despite not even knowing him.

"My name is Liban Crocell. I'm one of Sairaorg-sama's Knights. It'll be a pleasure working with you Hyoudou-san." He gave Issei a friendly smile as he stretched out his hand.

Issei took a moment before swallowing the jealousy he felt in favor of shaking the man's hand. He had to create better bonds, that was for sure. "Just call me Issei."

"Alright, Issei-san."

As the knight moved aside, a hulking figure then stepped forward. Issei's eyes widened as he curved his neck back to look up at the walking wall in front of him.

"That's Gandoma Balam, my other Rook. He talks less than Ladora but is a sweetheart to the core. If you need any comforting just have conversation with him. I know I always feel better," Sairaorg stated before laughing a bit.

Issei couldn't help staring at the large man. He stood about a good three meters and was thick from top to bottom. He was the biggest guy Issei had ever seen and knew that this large guy could easily crush him. Hell, Milky-tan had nothing on this dude.

Gandoma then stretched out his hand to Issei. The brunette had flinched, thinking he was going to get punched but when he looked back noticed that the large figure was holding a flower. Was he offering it?

Issei slowly reached out and took the plant. He stared at it before looking back up at the large creature. Gandoma smiled in response, which Issei didn't think was possible, and nodded his head lightly before walking over to Liban.

Issei's eyes followed the large man before looking back at the flower. He guessed that maybe his looks were just deceiving. That'd take some getting use to though.

"I suppose I am the last one."

Issei looked back to see a knight in full armor ride up on a white horse that had blue and white flames for a mane and tail. Issei blinked a few times, unsure of what he was seeing.

The knight dropped from his steed and removed his helmet, revealing himself to be an older man. He had long silver hair with navy blue eyes. He was chiseled and look like every girls fabled white knight. It was almost cliche at how he looked. Issei could only imagine how he spoke.

"I am Beruka Furcas. I am Sairaorg-sama's Knight and I look forward to fighting with you on the battlefield!"

Issei stared at him with a dry stare. Yeah, he was every cliche knight in fairy tales. It almost made him want to puke.

"Beruka, stop with the facade, you'll confuse Issei-chan," Kuisha stated with a playful pout.

Issei was confused and looked at the queen before turning back to the knight. He looked almost offended by her words

"Why whatever do you mean, I-. I'm sorry, that accent is a bit hard to hold," Beruka replied, dropping his tone seconds later.

Issei was suddenly surprised as his eyes widened from the sudden change in the final members demeanor.

"Anywho, like I said, it'll be great working with you Issei-kun."

He blinked a few times, surprised by how relaxed the knight had quickly become. It seemed he judged too quickly. So, mister pretty wasn't what he portrayed himself to be. Huh, that was actually a first.

The brunette's master noticed this and pulled him into a tight bro hug.

"Trust me Issei, you'll find many more surprises with us," Sairaorg said, giving a hearty laugh at the end.

Issei couldn't help but join in as well. The others around him soon followed. As they shared the laugh, Issei couldn't help but feel a bond already forming with his new allies. He connected with them much faster than with the others at the ORC and somehow felt apart of the family more-so than with Rias.

While Koneko hated him and Kiba and Akeno felt somewhat of an acquaintance with him, he felt that these guys actually wanted to make him feel apart of the group. He felt this warmth they gave off and, for once, felt he could maybe grow to something better. Sairaorg believed in him, as he gave him this new opportunity. And he was damn sure that he wasn't going to waste it.

As the laughter finally died down everyone sighed in contentment. Afterwards, Sairaorg placed both hands on his hip as a fire lit in his eyes and confidence began to radiate off him.

"Alright then, let's continue with training. I want everyone to be as strong as they can," he said with a small fist pump.

 _[Hai!]_ The group responded together.

It was then that they turned to Issei, who they noticed had said nothing.

"That includes you, Ise. No matter how weak you think you are, we'll be sure to help you," Sairaorg said confidently.

Issei slowly looked around, seeing everyone else nod or smile as reassurance. They made him feel at home so quickly and he could feel the slight sting of tears.

Sairaorg was such a kind king and his peerage followed in his steps. Issei was easily welcomed and felt that things could finally go right. He felt energized and pumped his fists as he removed his jacket.

"Alright, I'm ready!" He exclaimed as he rose his fist.

 _ **[Boost!]** _The guantlet announced. Everyone smiled brightly and prepared themselves for an intense session.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Sairaorg questioned.

 _[Hai!]_ The group roared, Issei included.

 ** _And with that, what's done is done. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter as I know I've spun it just a bit. I've had the group accept Issei easily due to the fact of how I've written Sairaorg. I want a strong connection between the two, which they had in canon and I'm moving this ahead and also creating those bonds with everyone else in Sairaorgs peerage. Hopefully no one sees it as too OOC._**

 ** _As usual, review and tell me what you thought of it. Everything is appreciated and ideas are always accepted and taken into consideration. With nothing more, I'll see you all next time._**


	3. Arc I: Life III

**And with quick inspiration, I have the next chapter out. Things like this won't normally happen but a gift from me to you to wish you guys a Happy Thanksgiving. As well as to thank you for all of your support and kind words. This story is fun and I love the freshness I'm putting in on it. (You guys words, not mine). But hopefully I can keep providing these new ideas.**

 **Anyways, to answer a few questions for you guys. Once more.**

 **First, Issei's harem and who shall be involved. There are many factors coming into play and I'm not making the harem huge. Too much work and it doesn't allow development for anybody. I'm tempted to keep it very low, three or four. And they won't even come into play until Issei is a Middle-class devil.**

 **Second, Issei's progression. Since this is Sairaorg, a training addict, Issei will be growing much faster. And with this a few plot sequences will change as well, allowing Issei to fly up the ranks as well. The only thing stopping him in canon was the lack of Rias training him. But that's that and this is this.**

 **Third, Kuisha. I have been asked this multiple times and I'm leaving it up to you guys. Would you like to see her with Issei or Sairaorg. Either way I'm fine with but I'm leaving it up to you.**

 **And finally, Rias's new pawn(s). That's right, I'm giving her new member(s). This is to push Issei further in his training due to the sight of him being replaced. Sort of an extra drive. And I want you guys to offer up ideas. It can be a crossover or simply a character from the show (within reason of course). Can't have Rias with some stupid strong character after all. Do PM me with your ideas.**

 **Alright, after this long line of bull, enjoy the story. And do PM if you have any ideas you'd like to share. Within reason of course.**

Issei laid on the ground, panting hard. His clothes were soaked with sweat and covered with dirt, obvious signs of training.

"C'mon Issei-chan. I'm sure you've got one more round in you!" Kuisha cheered.

"You're...killing me Kui-chi," Issei gasped out from his sprawled position. "Give me...give me a...a break..."

The queen stood in front of him, still smiling brightly. He would have called it smug if it wasn't for the fact that she was a bit too innocent for such a thought.

"Mou~, fine, five minute break and then we'll continue," she relented. The brunette only gave a thumbs up in response before his hand fell back to the ground.

It had been a week since Issei moved to the Underworld. And while it had been a tough transition, he felt he was slowly becoming accustomed to it. The only things he really had to comment on were two. The first, he still had little knowledge of the castle and it's maze-like halls. The second, everyone seemed like an addict when it came to training.

Issei could understand the foundation of training. It was a means to better someone in the art they pursued, whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual. But when it came to Sairaorg and his peerage...training seemed to be a practice taken to the extreme. Almost like it was their religion.

It was like an all day, every day type of thing. From dawn to dusk everyone was training. And because Issei was lacking so much compared to everyone else, the entire group took it among themselves to train him.

The first to nab him were usually Ladora and/or Gandoma. They trained him in the power of a Rook. Similar to Koneko, it was a spar (massacre) with tips of how he should strike or counter. Where to focus when fighting and how to defend against attacks.

The duo, if they caught him together, would then have him promote to Rook and "help" solidify his defenses. And how could they do such a thing? By showering him with heavy punches and kicks that could break bone. If it wasn't for the promotion, Issei would swear up and down that his bones would have been shattered and he'd be a puddle in the floor. Not on, in.

If that wasn't enough, after their early morning training, next would be Liban and Beruka. They took it upon themselves to train Issei in sword art. Well, Liban would while Beruka would attempt to impale him on his spear. He would give the usual response of "wanting to improve his reaction speed and judgement of the enemies reach". And Liban would agree and end up joining in on trying to dissect the brunette.

After that Issei would then receive an hour break which was taken up by a five minute lunch and the remainder spent on a hardcore study session.

Sairaorg didn't allow the pawn to slip in his studies, so he took it upon himself to drill a whole day of classes in a fifty-five minute time span. Issei felt like he might go insane at some point with the constant lessons of war head figures and battles of this and that.

It was odd how the Underworld's history was along the same lines as humanity's. Whether it was political or simply trail blazing, it seemed the supernatural and human world shared some common occurrences.

After Issei's heavy study hall, he would then continue his training with Coriana and Misteeta. They were a bit of a breather, only focusing on helping Issei with his magic.

The trio knew of the pawn's lack for magical reserves so they helped him learn basic spells. Such things like hidden spells and even concealing magic. Things that even someone like Issei, with little to no reserves, could perform. It would help keep him alive in fights or sneak around if need be. It even allowed for him to go undetected if he returned to the human world.

Finally, Issei would then finish the day with Kuisha. Being the queen and second in command, she taught Issei the most important points. The first being his power of promotion. The second being teamwork. And the third being his Sacred Gear.

When it came to promotion, the first thing Kuisha explained is how vital each piece was.

"Issei-chan, when it comes to promotion, what would be the piece you'd choose?" She asked.

"The Queen," Issei replied almost immediately.

Kuisha nodded her head in response. "A likely choice. But what if the Queen wasn't the correct choice?" She then questioned.

This stumped the brunette as he didn't know what she meant. The blonde noticed this as she giggled.

"Think of it this way; what if you needed to get somewhere quickly because a teammate was in trouble?"

"Then I'd go with the Knight," Issei replied.

"Correct. And then if you needed to break down the enemies defenses or fortify your own?"

"The Rook."

"Yup! And then if you were required to use a large amount of magic?"

"Bishop."

"Precisely," she commended. Kuisha still saw a bit of confusion on the pawn's face and giggled again. "What I'm trying to tell you is that even if the Queen is a powerful piece it's not something to call on every time. Each piece is important and you must know what situation calls for what piece. It may take some practice but you'll eventually be able to cycle through them as I can."

"Hai, Kui-chi!" Issei exclaimed.

The brunette remembered the lesson carefully and had begun to train in mastering the transitions. Luckily, he had been somewhat fruitful in the endeavor. Having learned that, with Sairaorg's permission, he was able to switch traits every three minutes, Issei focused on trying to lower that time to thirty seconds, at least. Kuisha was able to do it at will and the boy promised he'd learn to do it too.

The second thing the queen taught Issei was teamwork. She explained to Issei how pawn's were the vanguard of the team, not a sacrificial piece. They held the most power on the board and that, paired with the other pieces, could dominate the game.

Issei took her words to heart and started to take mental notes of everyone's strengths and weaknesses.

Unlike with Rias, Issei began to learn of how everyone operated during training. He noticed that whatever one person was weak in, another had it covered. For example, with Ladora, he was a Rook of brute strength but lacked in defense. However, Misteeta covered him by focusing on defense and healing spells to keep him in the fights longer. Also, with how Beruka wasn't the best at agility, since he rode his horse, Gandoma had a tight hold on his back to make sure there was no room for the enemy to make a counter attack.

All in all, the group had great chemistry when it came to battling. While someone like Rias tried to push everyone into fights and hope they were strong enough to either survive or beat the opposing force, Sairaorg had a solid group who watched out for one another at all times. Not just when necessary. Issei just had to find out where he fit in but Kuisha assured him and said it was alright because, when the time came, his body would react and his mind would settle. Whatever that meant.

Finally, was Issei with his Sacred Gear. Eventually, after introductions, Sairaorg told everyone of Issei being the Sekiryuutei. No one seemed surprised as they had heard of the pawn's triumph over Raiser. So, Issei still melded into the group easily and with that, Kuisha began to train him in harnessing the power of the **Boosted Gear.**

She told him of the basics, similar to Rias's explanation, and how he should train with it. Similar to his former master, Kuisha trained him physically to make sure his body could withstand the power ups the Sacred Gear provided. She spoke of how his body took a toll from using the powers of the Longinus and that the better his physique was the less he'd have to worry of the consequences. She also warned of how key it was to buy time until he was strong enough to take on whatever opponent stood before him As well as grow to overpower his then with the large amount of boosts he could perform once he mastered the Longinus.

And as extra motivation, she snuck in a little secret that the boosts from the gear would also help between the sheets. The results were phenomenal as Issei found new vigor and began to build up his physical strength like never before. Even Kuisha was surprised, only comparing it to how she saw Sairaorg when he was training. Different goals but similar results.

"Alright Issei-chan, it's time for round eight!" Kuisha cheered, sounding much more excited than she should. Issei groaned from his position on the floor, wishing he had more time to rest.

However, he slowly stood knowing he had to get strong. He could feel every fiber of his being screaming and it felt like a long time off before Coriana would be able to heal him. How he wished for someone to be his saving grace.

"Kuisha, Issei, I'm glad I found you," someone spoke up.

The duo turned and, much to Issei's relief, saw Sairaorg walking towards them. He had a warm smile on his face and he waved.

"Sairaorg-sama, I thought you were discussing some things with your father," Kuisha said.

The king lost his smile for a moment and a scowl took it's place. "Yes, well, you know how he is. Besides, much more important matters took priority."

"And those are?"

"Our return to school, of course," Sairaorg stated. This made Kuisha gasp in surprise while Issei arched a brow.

"Wait, you actually attend school? I thought you guys had, like, a personal instructor or something like that," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. The brunette didn't expect the duo to attend school like Rias or Sona had.

"We do have a private school here in the Underworld, Issei. Speaking of which, you shall be joining us in attendance," Sairaorg announced with a toothy grin.

Issei's eyes widened before he responded. "Wait, what!? I have to attend school!?"

"Of course. It took some string pulling but you're now a student like Kuisha and I!"

"B-But...does that mean our heavy study halls will stop?" Issei asked, trying to find some light in the darkness.

Sairaorg's grin only grew larger. "Nope. It just means you'll have to work extra hard."

Comical tears fell from Issei's eyes as he muttered about how unfair the world was. Sairaorg laughed it off, patting his back as Kuisha continued to giggle. Just when things were going up for Issei, fate just had to have a way to slap him back down.

"Oh, speaking of, Issei will have to prepare for his entrance exam!" Kuisha said, reminding their king.

The heir's eyes widened as he forgot a key part of the private academy. He quickly turned to Issei and grabbed his shoulders, looking a bit frantic in the process.

"Issei, I had completely forgotten! The entrance exam is very important at this academy! Not even I can get you past it! Please tell me, do you know how to cook?"

The brunette blinked a few times. That was an odd question.

"Yeah, I dabble in it, I suppose," he responded.

Sairaorg's grip tightened, making Issei wince slightly from the force. "And are you any good!?"

The pawn smirked. "Well, not to toot my own horn but I'm pretty sure I'm damn good at it."

His king stared at him a bit longer, discerning whether to believe him or not. But with such a face of confidence the devil eventually released his grip and sighed.

"Sorry, it's just very important that you pass the entrance exam. Everyone has to take it and very few succeed."

"What's so important about cooking for an entrance exam?" Issei asked, still baffled by the weird test.

"It's a culinary school, Issei-chan," Kuisha answered.

"A culinary school? In the Underworld?" The pawn asked with an arched brow. He could hardly believe that. This place was sounding more and more like the human world the longer he lived here.

"Of course, even we have a culinary school. It does pay to have that type of skill in high society. And it also helps when we're off on long missions," Sairaorg replied, smiling softly.

Issei nodded his head, understanding a bit of the explanation. Odd that the strongest youth devil was attending culinary school but Issei wasn't going to complain. He simply shrugged his shoulders and decided he'd wait for tomorrow.

"Well, guess I'll see you guys for school tomorrow." With that statement, he attempted to make his way inside but was immediately stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Ah ah Issei, you still have some training to do," Sairaorg said with a sly grin. This made the brunette pale.

"What!? But isn't it better to get a full night's sleep before a big day?" Issei tried to plea.

It fell to deaf ears. "I'm sure you have a few more rounds in you. We want you to get as strong as possible and that means getting the full workout."

Issei gulped as he was turned back to Kuisha, who looked ready to pummel him. He shot back to see Sairaorg walking away, one hand in his pocket and the other waving.

"I'll see you two tomorrow. Don't kill him Kuisha," he said over his shoulder.

"Hai~", was her cutesy response. Issei however was sweating profusely as he stared at, what he hoped, wasn't his death sentence. "Now, Issei-chan~, let's continue."

Issei began to internally cry a river. _'Why me...?'_

-XOXOXOXOX-

Issei knocked the last kinks out of his neck, rubbing his shoulders softly. He couldn't believe Sairaorg, putting him through all that training and then having him wake up extra early for _another_ training session. It was a miracle he was walking right now as the king decided to train him personally. And he didn't pull any punches in their spar.

"Damn, I really hope this pays off later on," Issei muttered, feeling the bruises forming across his chest and arms. He took a good amount of blows from his master.

 _ **[It already has,]** _a deep voice spoke up.

Issei's eyes widened as he looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. He then saw a green flash from his left peripheral and turned to see the **Boosted Gear** glowing.

"I-I'm sorry, but was that you?" Issei asked the guantlet, half expecting an answer.

 _ **[I'm a little upset that you've forgotten my voice,]** _the voice replied, the green gem glowing in response to it.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's just, the last time we talked was before the duel against Raiser when I gave you my arm. Ddraig, if I remember," Issei replied, scratching the back of his head.

 _ **[Yes, and it has been some time. Almost two weeks if I recall. I haven't bothered to talk with you seeing as you've been very busy.]**_

"I guess you could say that. I've been dealing with a lot lately," Issei muttered before giving a hollow laugh. It was devoid of the emotions such an action should hold.

 _ **[I know what happened to you, child. And, to be honest, I detest that Gremory girl for what she did,]** _Ddraig replied, signs of anger in it's tone.

"Hey, it's kinda my fault. I was too weak, like she said. But I'm training now, to prove her wrong!" Issei replied, trying to convince himself more than his partner.

 _ **[Hn, if that's the excuse you want to give for her. I, personally, think you have nothing to prove to her. You saved her and that's how she repays you? I'd hate to see what she does to her enemies... Oh wait, she loses to them and proceeds to almost marry them,]**_ Ddraig growled out.

"She had no choice in the matter," Issei replied quickly.

 _ **[She could have been stronger! She could have defended herself! Not have some boy who has barely been a devil fight for her!]** _Ddraig shouted in anger, his voice rising with each sentence. _**[Stop defending her and her mistakes! She's not your master, so you shouldn't care!]**_

The pawn flinched from the dragon's tone. He was obviously displeased with the way Issei was acting. Which was understandable, considering the boy was defending someone who had cut off all affiliations with him.

"I suppose you're right..." He muttered sadly.

 _ **[You're damn right I'm right! You're the holder of the**_ **Boosted Gear** _ **. A Longinus. Hold your head up high because you're a valuable asset wherever you go,]** _Ddraig said with absolute confidence. _ **[It doesn't matter how late you start or how far you fall. I know you'll stand back up and keep trying!**_ ]

Issei's lips curved upward in a small smile. It was rare that he heard praise and couldn't help the slight flutter inside.

 _ **[Besides, you've grown much faster in this past week than the entire time you were with that redheaded devil.]**_

"What, seriously?" Issei asked, sounding surprised and hopeful.

 _ **[Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't be talking to you like this,]** _Ddraig informed, cheering up the brunette even more.

"Wow, I thought all those poundings were for nothing!" Issei said, sounding a little shocked at the fact.

 _ **[Well they provided a lot. Your physical power is growing at an alarming rate and even your magical reserves have grown,]** _Ddraig replied.

"That may be because of the mutation piece," a new voice spoke up.

Issei jumped from the sudden newcomer and turned to his door. There, Sairaorg stood with a smirk on his face.

"Ah, Aniki, how long have you been there?" Issei asked, trying to control the rapid pounding of his heart.

"Not very long," he answered with a shrug. He then stepped into the room, walking over to the pawn.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ddraig," Sairaorg said, looking down at the Sacred Gear.

 _ **[Likewise, heir of Bael. Thank you for taking in and properly training my host,]** _Ddraig replied, sounding very respectful.

"Hey, how come you don't talk to me like that!?" Issei asked, noticing his partners attitude towards his master.

 _ **[Because you haven't earned my respect completely. Trust me, you're getting there but the Bael heir is leagues above you,]**_ Ddraig replied matter-of-factly.

Issei silently cursed at that. He still couldn't stand toe-to-toe with his master. Of course, he was the strongest, meaning he had a ways to go. But if he wasn't strong enough to take on Sairaorg, he probably hadn't reached Rias's level either.

 _ ***Grip***_

Issei felt a firm hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Sairaorg. The older male was smiling as he squeezed in a way to give the boy reassurance.

"It's okay Issei, it'll be some time before you can reach my level. But trust me, you'll get there in no time. Your growth has been amazing and beyond anything I've ever seen. And believe me when I say, you'll be a match for me in no time."

The brunette smiled softly as he looked into his master's eyes.

"You think so Aniki?"

Sairaorg nodded. "I know so."

"... _Ahem_."

Both males jumped before turning to the door to see Kuisha. She had a light blush on her face as she pouted, averting her eyes.

"If you guys could save your moments for when the doors closed," she stated teasingly.

A moment of silence fell to the males and Issei and Sairaorg turned to each other. Within seconds they realized what she was implying and their eyes widened in shock.

"No wait, Kui-chi, it's not like that!" Issei said, quickly removing Sairaorg's hand.

"Yeah, it's a simple misunderstanding!" The heir agreed, stepping towards his queen.

"No no, it's fine, I'll just wait till you're done," she said quickly before shutting the door and rushing down the hall

Issei and Sairaorg stood there for a moment, silent and frozen at the quick turn of events. Kuisha had saw them in a heartfelt moment and turned it to some misunderstanding straight out of a manga. Oh how they were both unfortunate enough to be caught in the moment when they were simply building their bond as brothers and rivals.

"Issei...we shall never speak of this..." Sairaorg muttered, his hair shadowing his eyes.

Issei stood in a similar position not too far behind.

"Agreed..."

-XOXOXOXOX-

Issei was sitting in the back seat of a black car. Similar to the one he left his old home in. It was roomy and spacious like a limo but kept it all small to avoid unwanted attention.

Next to him, on both sides, Kuisha and Sairaorg sat. They looked out the windows while Issei was in his own thoughts, his eyes fixed on his hands. He had to create a dish for the entrance exam and, while he was good, he couldn't help but be nervous. This was a High-class academy and it accepted very few into it. It was only for the best of the best and Issei wasn't sure if he qualified as the best.

So what could he cook to wow the judges?

"Issei-chan, are you alright?" Kuisha asked, placing her hand over his in concern.

The brunette laughed, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. "Yeah, just trying to think of what I'm going to cook."

This made Sairaorg turn and look at Issei with a serious expression he only held during training.

"Make something with apples," he said automatically.

This made Issei blink twice and Kuisha sigh. "He's not cooking with apples, Sairaorg-sama. He doesn't even know the theme yet," Kuisha replied.

"But what if it is apples?" Sairaorg answered back.

"If I know the judges, I'm sure they won't make it apples," Kuisha said dryly.

"You never know. Eventually they'll discover the true power of apples. They make any dish taste good!" Sairaorg said passionately. Looking closely there was a fire burning in his eyes, almost as large as when he gives his speeches about hard work and training.

Issei could only scoot a few inches away from his king. He couldn't get farther due to the seating arrangement. But he leaned in closer to Kuisha, only allowing her to hear him.

"What's his deal with apples? They save his life or something?" Issei asked, genuinely worried for his master's well-being. No one could be this crazy about a fruit.

Kuisha leaned back in. "No, it's a thing with his brother. His brother likes botany and Sairaorg supports him one-hundred percent despite their father's disdain for it. In turn, the thing he loves most are his brother's apples and it, in turn, caused him to be so adamant about them."

Issei just gave a sound of acknowledgement before silently straightening himself. The heir didn't notice and continued his rant about how apples were a super food. He also spoke of how his apple dishes would rule the world and how everyone will realize the true potential the fruit held. The blonde and brunette could only bide there time until they reached the school.

Fortunately, the trio soon arrived at the academy and Kuisha was quick to drag her king out of the car. By the time Issei was out, the Bael had finally finished his speech and it filled the queen and pawn with relief.

It wasn't long after that Issei was finally able to take in the school. When he looked up, to say he was blown away was an understatement. The sheer size of the academy had made his jaw drop farther than when he first arrived at the Bael Estate.

The academy was massive. It was the size of a university, no, much much bigger than that. It was the mix of a large middle school, high school, and university! It was basically all the grade levels besides grade school pact into one. Kuoh Academy had nothing on this as the private devil structure easily towered over the human-made academy.

"Welcome to Tōtsuki Academy Issei!" Sairaorg announced, loud enough for all to hear. His voice carried, easily showing just how large the academy truly was.

At the same time, the courtyard, that was currently filled with students, turned to the gates at the sudden shout. There, they saw the trio walking in and stopped whatever they were doing in order to take in the new arrivals.

As Sairaorg passed by, girls of all kind began to cheer and swoon over the strongest youth. He merely waved as girls of all years, all ages, and all sizes basically cried for him in a multitude of worships or requests.

"Kya, it's Sairaorg-sama! He's back!" One of the girls cheered. She was a pretty, human looking type of girl.

"He's been gone for a whole week. But our fruitful king has returned!" Another cheered. She was a more devilish type of girl with pointed ears, sharpened teeth, and slitted eyes.

Issei didn't pay much mind though as he couldn't believe it. No matter where he went, the guys he were with were always so popular. Was he cursed? Why didn't he have a fan club?

 _[Thank the Satans! Our queen Kuisha-sama has returned!]_ A plethora of males cheered simultaneously. It was as if they practiced it or were just gifted by sheer luck at the amount who all timed their cries perfectly.

Issei wasn't as surprised to it though. They sounded very similar to the shouts he heard from the males at Kuoh Academy. Although it was surprising not as many girls cheered as the girls at Kuoh would for Rias and Akeno. Meh, what could he do, Kuisha was a very attractive girl.

"Hm? Who's that new guy between them?" A male devil suddenly asked.

It was then, like a rain of arrows, that Issei felt everyone's eyes fall upon him. He couldn't believe his luck for this was the second school he felt the strong stares of the students from every angle, just based off of the people he found himself associating with.

Then, as if luck played a cruel joke on him his magic spiked and the **Boosted Gear** appeared. His shock was evident, seeing as Kuisha helped him use what little magic he had after training to seal it this morning.

Issei quickly tried to cover it up but the damage was done as a large gasp escaped from many students. He could only pray few were mad at him. After all, Raiser had warned him that breaking up the marriage of pure-bloods would anger the mass. If only he was able to stay away in the human world but fate was a cruel mistress sometimes.

"That's him, the Red Dragon Emperor!"

"It's Issei Hyoudou, the one who beat Raiser Phenix!"

"I knew I recognized him from somewhere!"

"It's the dragon. The dragon who beat the immortal bird!"

Many shouts assaulted the brunette at once. The magnitude of awe and shock people were in all came collapsing down on him as he tried to zone them out. He prepared for the worst but it seems his master and senpai thought differently.

"Well well Ise, seems you hit it off with the crowd. You're a big celebrity now," Sairaorg stated with a chuckle. Issei could only growl in response, hating how relaxed his master was in this situation.

"Issei-chan, look, you have fans," Kuisha said, alerting the boy immediately. Albeit confused, Issei shot his head up, trying to find the people the queen spoke of.

"I-Its the Red Dragon Emperor..." A female devil said with a flushed face. Once Issei made eye contact, her blush deepened and she damn near fainted from blood loss. "T-The Red Dragon Emperor, I-Issei..."

The brunette could only hope she was alright. He then continued his scan amongst the crowd, finding his next "fan".

"Anyone who could beat the immortal Phenix's must be powerful. What I'd do to have his babies," another, much older student, stated.

When Issei made eye contact, she winked at him while also playing with her large breasts. The school's uniform did little to cover it and there was a lot to show, leaving little to imagination.

Then, to up the ante, the devil girl mouthed "they're all yours" and invited him over with the slow wiggle of her finger.

The pawn had to try his hardest not to get a bloody nose. For once in his life, he was popular. His dream may have been coming to fruition sooner than he though. He had to try and contain himself as he started to make his way over to the busty devil. Only then would he exploit his true perverted nature. And claim one of the many bounties he hoped for.

But, before he could capitalize on his sudden spark of popularity, Sairaorg grabbed him with a strong arm around his neck. To Issei's ire, his king blocked him from squeezing a handful of luscious oppai. And he was not pleased at the sudden act of blue balls.

"Sorry Ise, no time to play. You have an exam to take and the sooner the better," the Bael stated as he continued on his way inside.

"Aniki, let me go! I think I was finally going to lose my virginity!" Issei cried out. "Kui-chi, help me out here!" He pleaded.

The blonde however wasn't paying attention, still waving at a few guys who were trying to show off to her with some flexes or quick tricks. "Hm, you say something Issei-chan?"

"I hate both of you..." The brunette muttered. And with that the trio entered the front doors of the academy.

Thus, Issei's first day back at school commenced.

 **Boom, bam, bop, bodabop. Awesomeness at it's finest. Issei gets recognition, has a small fan club, and is attending Tōtsuki Academy! Why the crossover, simply because of two certain characters I'd like to bring in. Two who could be potential members in Issei's future peerage. Guess right and I'll give you a good ole Pat on the back. Senpai is always watching his kouhai's after all.**

 **Anywho, review and comment and whatnot. Hope you all enjoyed. Later~**


	4. Arc I: Life IV

**Alright, I'm finally back with the next chapter. Sorry it took so long, the first part of this chapter took constant look overs and rewrites just to set things right. Even still, I feel I should do it again but I feel this is also the best way I can.**

 **As always, responses first.**

 **First, as I know all of you are hoping for this. The harem... It will be at the end of the chapter, mwuhahaha. Although I've took some of you guys requests and have expanded the harem just a bit.**

 **Two, Rias's new pawns. As many have wanted, there are two choices at the moment. It has been put between Murayama & Katase and Motohama & Matsuda. Or I can do all four. Whatever you guys decide.**

 **Three, new arc. This arcs done, which is Issei's new change (will make adjustments soon). After this is the next arc.**

 **Anything I miss here is at the bottom A/N. Enjoy the read.**

Issei stepped into the room begrudgingly. Kicking an imaginary stone, he leaned against wall and folded his arms, acting very childish. There was a pout on his face as he grumbled incoherent words to himself.

It was obvious he was still upset by his king's actions. He was finally going to get a handful of oppai and start creating his harem. But no, Sairaorg just had to get in the way and drag him to the stupid test. He hated that and complained about how unfair the world was.

"It doesn't matter if I'm in the human world or the supernatural. I'm never gonna get the chance to become Harem King," the brunette complained with a whiny tone.

 _ **[It's not all bad partner. She was just a devil attracted to your power. It's going to happen a lot,]** _Ddraig spoke up, the **Boosted Gear** appearing on Issei's arm once more.

"So? She was hot! And her oppai were perfect!" Issei exclaimed, forming the shape of the girl's breast to emphasize his point.

 _ **[I think you need more training if you're somehow still only fixated a woman's physical appearance,]**_ the dragon replied dryly.

"Hey, I care for more than just looks," Issei snapped back. He was met with a snort. "Besides, it's not my fault you haven't felt the sweet heavenly sensation that is oppai for thousands of years!" Issei snapped back.

 _ **[I don't care for those types of things, child. I've done more intimate things than you can ever imagine in my life time! Even with your extended life line, you'll never come close to the women I've laid and pleased!]** _Ddraig retorted, almost sounding like he was bragging.

"We'll see about that you overgrown lizard!"

 _ **[Haha, see what? You fail miserably? Have you ever even grabbed a woman's breast boy?]** _Ddraig mocked with a hearty laugh. It made Issei turn bright red.

"I have for your information!"

 _ **[Grabbing that redhead's on accident or while you're asleep does not count...]**_

"S-Shut up!"

"Ahem, Hyoudou-chan?"

Issei's head shot up. His eyes were wide and his face was flushed as he came face-to-face with the person calling him. To say he was embarrassed fell far from the truth.

The one to call him was a young woman. She was around his age, maybe a year older. She stood a few inches taller than him, bending over so she was at eye level with him.

She was very beautiful in the eyes of the pawn. The girl had short silver hair, one long bang reaching down past her chin on the left side of her face. Her eyes were an alluring crimson red, matching and highlighting her skin nicely. And she held this aura of prestige, much similar to Rias's in fact.

"Hyoudou-chan, are you alright?" The girl asked. The slight wave of her hand snapped Issei from his daydream as he blinked a few times before shaking his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he quickly replied with a chuckle.

The girl giggled before returning to her original position at eye level with the brunette, placing herself a few inches away from him. However, instead of her curious look prior, she now sported a look of interest. Or deep analysis. He couldn't tell.

"Ano..." He muttered, unsure of what was happening. "What are you-"

"Hush!" The girl snapped, prompting Issei to shut his mouth immediately.

A few more moments passed before she pulled back and smiled. She then nodded her head, as if she was sure of whatever she was thinking.

"Yup, the rumors are true," she said. Issei knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asked in return.

"Oh, that you're really cute," she replied nonchalantly.

Issei didn't respond. The words were caught in his throat as his cheeks turned bright red. Swirls appeared in his eyes as he could feel steam pouring out of his ears.

"I-I...wha..." He sputtered unintelligibly. The compliment caught him completely off guard.

While he was use to Rias calling him "adorable", it was more so like he was a puppy. Almost like a pity compliment. But this girl, it sounded like she meant it as a flirty gesture. Issei was unsure of how to respond to a girl who found him attractive, and was so blunt about it. None of the girls at Kuoh were like that. They just beat him down.

This girl didn't seem to mind being upfront with her emotions however. And she wasn't punching or kicking him, bonus!

"I find you interesting, Hyoudou-chan," the girl said with a friendly smile.

"I, uh, ano..." Issei talked a big game but obviously lacked the experience dealing with the opposite genders advances.

 _ **[Real smooth. You're**_ **totally** _ **proving me wrong,]**_ Ddraig sarcastically mulled.

 _'Shut it, lizard! I will scar you for the rest of your life!'_ Issei thought back.

 _ **[Oh? How do you plan to do that?]**_ The dragon asked in a mocking tone.

 _'I'll make sure to watch Serafall's Magical Girl marathon each and every weekend,'_ Issei replied with a smirk.

 _ **[...]**_

"..."

 _ **[...Please don't...]** _Ddraig answered back, his tone taking a complete turn to fearful.

 _'I heard this it's all about the power of friendship and love,'_ Issei continued, his smirk growing to a toothy grin.

 _ **[I'm sorry for what I said! Just please, don't make me watch that overly cheerful, happy-go-lucky, disgusting piece of programming people call entertainment!]** _The dragon begged. The last thing he would do was be forced to watch girls talk about how holding hands and singing songs would save them from an alien spaceship annihilating their planet.

It was unheard of!

 _'Good lizard. So zip it. One more remark and I'll start training to create sparkles appear when I use the **Boosted Gear**.'_

 _ **[...]**_

"..."

 _ **[...]**_

"..."

 _ **[Okay, even I know you won't go that far...]** _Ddraig dryly replied.

Issei was momentarily silent as his words repeated in his head.

"...Yeah. You're right..." He mumbled aloud.

"Did you say something?" The girl asked. She couldn't help but notice how often the brunette seemed to space out. And the Longinus would glow every now and then as if it was conscious and knew of the things around it.

Was the boy talking to his Sacred Gear? Did it always happen often? Was he oblivious to everything around him? Including her?

The girl had noticed how his eyes were left lingering on hers. Despite the lack of focus, they were staring right at her. She didn't mind either. It was common for her because a lot of guys did the same when they spoke with her. Their gazes would stay fixated on hers, caught like a deer in the headlights or a moth drawn to a flame. Her eyes were an alluring sight and most guys fell hook line and sinker the moment their gaze met hers.

It was usually how things went along inside and outside political business. Once anyone locked eyes, they were caught in her little spell. They would be entranced by her, enraptured, some even aroused by her very first glance. Her bright crimson's were hypnotic so to say, capturing and sealing anyone's attention specifically onto her. Seeing as she was a succubus after all, it was easy for her to catch them with just one look.

Of course she didn't mean for it to happen but it slipped most of the time. She couldn't help it and silently sighed. The silverette didn't want to charm the Red Dragon Emperor but what's done was done. Hopefully it didn't hinder his cooking.

"Ano, sorry...uhh-"

"Alice. Nakiri Alice," the girl said, easily understanding his pause.

"Oh, haha, I'm sorry Nakiri-san, I was a bit distracted again," Issei replied with an awkward laugh.

The girl blinked twice.

Was it her, or had he seemed unaffected?

What she meant by that was that his eyes weren't glazed and his focus wasn't towards her. He wasn't lusting after her or claiming himself a fool for ignoring her. In fact, he seemed fine like nothing was wrong. But how could that be?

Alice was sure she made eye contact with him. Hell, he initiated it!

She was sure the spell was casted, yet, he wasn't staring at her now that he was focused. Or, not with any intention of trying to capture her heart. It was odd that her **Charm** hadn't worked.

Male, female, it didn't matter, everyone would fall for her the second their eyes met. Old, young, devil, or demon, no one was immune.

"So, what're the plans for my test?" Issei asked, turning to the ingredients on a table behind the young woman.

It was her turn to zone out as she still found herself wondering why he wasn't desiring her. Most guys would be drooling at the sight of her. Some would try to impress her, others would ask her out on a date, hell some guys even just asked to have sex! But this guy...was just focused on cooking!?

It was a culinary school, yes, but she just casted a charm spell on him. How could he be focused on food when he should be begging on his hands and knees for her attention.

The silverette wasn't even interested in a relationship with him. He was very cute and his power was quite a sight when he beat Raiser, but she didn't know him well enough to develop those types of feelings.

Alice was just curious as to how her spell hadn't worked. He didn't say she was cute. He didn't stare longingly. He didn't try to impress her. All he cared about was cooking. What the hell was wrong with him?

..

...

...

The girl soon realized the irony of her question. He was on point and she was the one thinking crazy.

But still, no one should be able to break her charm unless another succubus, or her stupid cousin, broke the spell. So how had the former human done so? They were the easiest to **Charm** actually. But it didn't look like he tried to break it. It didn't look like the spell was casted at all!

Maybe she should try again. Yeah, maybe it was a simple fluke and he blinked or something. She had to test this and see what actually happened.

"Hyoudou-chan~," his senior cooed with a sweet tone.

Issei turned to her, confused by way she called his name. His eyes met hers and the ruby jewels glistened as she smiled softly. They glowed, just faintly, and Issei felt himself grow just a bit dizzy.

The girl knew she got him. He stared right at her when she cast the spell. When he stumbled slightly and grabbed his head, she was sure the spell worked. A small grin appeared on her lips as she felt satisfied that her spell was effective and that the first time was just a simple fluke. In fact, she felt pride that even the great Red Dragon Emperor was going to fall for her.

Now, if she could improve more her cousin would finally be in her shadow. She fist pumped at the opportunity to finally beat her cousin and make her say "Alice, you're the best".

It made the young woman giddy as she giggled. But she had to focus back on the person of interest in front of her. He still had to take the exam and they had been stalling it for some time.

"Hyoudou-chan, are you alright?" She asked, stepping towards him with a sudden change to concern.

"Yeah, just a little headache, nothing to worry about," he replied softly. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Issei shook his head and smiled. "So, about the test."

Alice's eyes widened at his response. His eyes weren't glazed either. He was completely unaffected. Once again, her spell hadn't worked!? Impossible!

She had looked him dead in the eyes! He fell back, obviously affected by it! So how, how in Satan's name had he not been charmed!?

It made no logical sense! He should be fawning over her like a puppy to it's master! So why!? Why, was he still talking about cooking!?

Was there something more to the Sekiryuutei that she hadn't seen? Was she wrong? Had she made another mistake!? This was unbelievable!

"Y-You're test is the egg..." She grumbled, ignoring the innocent smile he gave her in return.

"Alright, let's get right to it then!" He replied with excitement. All the while leaving a baffled and upset succubus to mull over why she failed. Twice!

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Congratulations on passing the test, Issei-chan~!" Kuisha praised with excitement.

"...Kui-chi..." Issei muttered, his voice filled with pain.

"Hm, what is it?"

"...Can you not say that...while beating me up..." He replied.

The pawn and queen were currently training back at the Bael Estate. After a week Issei had discovered he passed the test and his transfer papers finally came through. So, now, he was an official student of Tōtsuki Academy and would start his classes Monday morning.

And how else was he to pass the time? Well...he found himself being forced to train by his senior. Again.

"Ah c'mon, I'm just saying I'm happy for you," Kuisha said, charging towards him with intent for close combat.

Issei rose up and quickly blocked a strong kick aimed for his head. He placed both of his arms up in a cross position, effectively stopping the queen's momentum but still sliding just a bit from the force of the impact.

Utilizing his Rook trait, Issei was able to defend against the powerful blow. He was actually thankful for Ladora and Gandoma's spars as he grew much more durable. Two weeks ago and he might have been dead.

Issei pushed the thought aside and regained his focus on the fight. Kuisha locked her leg on Issei's arms, keeping them in place, and rose the other for an unexpected axe kick.

The brunette's eyes widened but he quickly reacted and switched to his Knight trait. With it, he slipped under the blonde's attack before turning to throw a punch.

Kuisha turned and caught the attack, grinning as she saw the disappointment in the Sekiryuutei's eyes.

"Sorry Issei-chan~, you'll have to do better than that~," she sung with a sweet tone.

"Hehe..."

Issei suddenly smirked, confusing the queen in front of him. He rose his left arm and the **Boosted Gear** appeared in a flash of light. It made Kuisha blink twice before she looked up to the brunette, who's smirk had become a little toothy.

"Issei-chan, I thought we agreed on no boosting," Kuisha said, still slightly confused. His smirk grew even more as he felt himself gaining the upper hand.

"I know. But we never agreed on...THIS! **Flash**!"

 _ **[Flash!]**_

Ddraig's voice mimicked Issei's shout and the guantlet began to glow. Kuisha had never heard of the move and looked down at the **Boosted Gear**. Her curiosity betrayed her and a bright green light emitted from the green gem, blinding the queen.

At such close range there was no way for her to dodge it. She shielded her eyes and backed away in a stumble, the brunette laughing as if he had won.

"Yes! It worked, it actually worked!" Issei cheered happily. It was a small victory but one he was ecstatic over.

 _ **[Don't let up, partner! This is your chance!]**_ Ddraig alerted.

The boy's eyes widened at the realization and he turned back to his opponent. He was so excited that his new move had worked that he had forgotten to follow up.

"R-Right," he said panicked as he tried to rectify his mistake and continue the duel.

Issei charged forward and cocked his fist back, ready to deliver the final blow to Kuisha. She was still rubbing her eyes, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike. Charging his demonic power into the guantlet, he prepared himself to land a hard haymaker to his senior's cheek.

"Get ready Kui-chi, cause I finally beat- GAHHHHH!"

As Issei neared the blonde she suddenly vanished. His eyes widened as he felt a hard strike hit him in his gut.

Looking down, he saw the queen smiling at him. Her fist was buried in his stomach and with a slight twist he was sent flying backwards.

The pawn slammed into a tree, full force, the sound of bark cracking echoing throughout the grounds. A silent scream escaped his lips as the wind was knocked out of him. A bit of blood escaped from his lips and he felt as if a car just ran into him full force.

"Sorry Issei-chan~, you've still got a ways to go before you can beat me," Kuisha replied with a giggle. The brunette's cheer of success had given her more than enough time to recover and she was able to respond with a powerful strike that easily defeated him. That was a mistake he couldn't make on the battlefield. It could cost him his life.

"Damnit," Issei muttered as he slowly stood. He was shaky but kept his balance, holding himself up with a firm hand on his knee. "Heh, you gotta admit though, I had you there for a second."

Kuisha smiled and walked over to him. She lightly punched him in the shoulder, the boy wincing in response.

"I'll give it to you, you almost got me there. If you followed up, I might have gotten a little hurt," Kuisha answered. She looked up at him, feeling proud towards her kouhai.

"Well...looks like I've still got a ways to go," Issei replied, clutching the shoulder the blonde punched.

"You're growing very fast Issei-chan. It's almost unbelievable at the rate you're going," Kuisha praised, much to the brunette's surprise.

"You really think so? I haven't noticed myself growing that much," he replied, scratching the back of his head before wincing from the pain of doing the action.

"Ise, you forced me to use a lot in that punch. My body immediately responded because of your power. I'd say you're doing amazing and will really come to challenge Sairaorg-sama one day."

Issei rose up to look at his senior. Their eyes met and she smiled warmly at him. Her eyes shimmered and he couldn't help but smile the longer he stared.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Issei chuckled as he closed his eyes, smiling warmly. _'What do you think Ddraig?_ '

 _ **[She speaks the truth. You are growing faster than any of my other hosts. You'll be able to challenge Sairaorg**_ **and** _ **the White One in no time.]**_

 _'Thanks partner.'_

"Thank you, Kui-chi. That means a lot," he replied softly.

Her smile widened. "It's nothing Issei-chan. You're apart of the family now, which means you're an important person to me."

Issei blushed lightly and turned away from her. Kuisha too had a small blush and came to find her toes very interesting.

All the while, the watchful gaze of their king was not too far away.

 **"My Lord, you have put a lot of faith into this boy,"** a voice spoke from Sairaorg's side.

The Bael turned to see a nemean lion. With it's fur golden and a violet jewel rested on it's forehead, the beast towered at a height of five meters. But it merely sat by the young man's side, watching the exchange between the queen and pawn.

"Yes, and it was right for me to do so," Sairaorg replied.

 **"He's proving himself to be quite worthy of your pawn. Something I wasn't,"** the beast replied.

"Don't say that Regulus. You're a very powerful ally, with or without the Evil Pieces. And you've been a very good friend to the family."

 **"My Lord,"** Regulus replied in thanks.

There was a bit of silence before they spoke again.

 **"The boy shall be joining you at school as of Monday, correct?"** The lion asked.

Sairaorg's expression darkened and he grew very serious. "No, sadly his first day will have to be postponed."

 **"Hm? And why is that?"**

"An order for the execution of a Stray Devil. In Europe."

 **"I see. And why send the boy. He's still a little green behind the ears,"** Regulus stated.

"I know this, but this is the perfect chance to see how much he's really grown," Sairaorg replied.

 **"Will he be going alone?"**

"No, I'll send Kuisha and Ladora as back up. The last thing I want is for some exorcist or angel mistaking him for a Stray and killing him."

 **"Mm. Good choice,"** the beast replied, nodding.

The duo watched as Issei and Kuisha walked off, having finished their training for the day. The king would wait and tell them of their task tomorrow. For now, he wanted them to rest. It would be a long journey to the home of the angels.

"Regulus, how do you feel about him?"

 **"Hm?"**

"Issei. What do you think of him?" The Bael asked again.

The lion was quiet for a second. Sairaorg glanced at him, curious of his delayed response.

 **"...I'd have to say he's got a lot of training ahead of him. Not just physically but mentally as well."**

"Would you mind clarifying?"

 **"Of course, my Lord. The boy is filled with conflictions and doubts. He's holding himself back despite the way he pushes while he's training. If I had to say, the problem lies with the Gremory girl. Her and her peerage have left him scarred and it still plagues his mind. And..."**

"And?" Sairaorg repeated.

 **"There's something more. Something old, something more than his recent dilemma that also weighs on his mind. He was cautious when you asked him to join, correct?"** The Bael nodded at the question. **"Hm. Then it may be that something happened to him when he was first turned.** "

Sairaorg listened closely to his Sacred Gear's words. His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. His grip tightened as he kept his arms folded, his hands clenched into fists.

He was curious as to what the beast just explained. Did something happen with Issei when he was reincarnated? And if so, did it tie in with Rias?

"'When he was first turned'..."

 **And that's all she wrote. Alright, for the moment you've all been waiting for.**

 _ **Issei's**_ **_Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Rossweisse, and Roygun Belphagor_**

 ** _Bask in it's glory for it is wonderful. Oh, and in the future chapters, around Kokabiel's fight, I'll have Issei's peerage up as well. Wink wink_**

 ** _And yeah. Kuisha was added to the harem due to the multiple people who wanted this. I kinda did too. And she'll most likely be the alpha girl, so this'll be fun._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed. Review to keep up with me. PM ideas and all of that._**


	5. Arc II: Life I

**And I'm back once more. It has been a long long long time, I know. I'm sorry to all of you who have waited very patiently for this new chapter. And while it's not the longest, I'll be sure to try and upload the next chapter much sooner.**

 **Now, I've got a lot of messages over the time I've been away, due to either work or school. Or Smite, as I've started playing it on ps4. Pretty fun game. But I will assure you that I'm dead set on this story.**

 **First of all, for those asking I'm not going to give the story up for adoption. You're free to make your own version of it or whatever, but this story is mine and I will do my absolute best to finish it.**

 **Second, Issei's peerage. You guys have given me a few ideas and I assure you that they will come in due time. Possibly within four or five chapters. Depending how long it takes me to get to the Kokabiwl fight.**

 **And third, Rias's new pawns. I'm getting conflicted responses so I'm going to give it more thought and hold their reveal.**

 **Anyways, after all that. Enjoy.**

Issei stood before his king. He was unsure of why he was in his master's office instead of training. He still had school to prepare for and he would have liked to get a little training in. But, then again, maybe this meeting was important for him before he returned to Tōtsuki Academy. Maybe a run through of rules and regulations or something like that.

"You called me, Aniki?" Issei asked, announcing his presence to the heir.

"Yes, Ise, I have some news for you," Sairaorg said.

"What is it?" The brunette asked in return.

"You won't be attending school today."

"..."

"Eh..? Why's that?"

"We have a Stray Devil request. I'm sure you're quite familiar with them," Sairaorg stated. Issei nodded his head in reply. "Good. Then allow me to further elaborate on what your objective is."

This alerted Issei and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. The tone in his master's voice was very serious and held heavier weight than Rias when she received an extermination request.

"The Stray Devil is in Europe. You, Kuisha, and Ladora have been assigned to kill it," Sairaorg stated.

"Europe?" Issei repeated. His king nodded his head. "But it's the home of the angels. Is it really that serious to send us into their territory for a rogue?"

This made the heir smirk and chuckle a bit. "It's good to know your growth hasn't been limited to just your physical strength."

 _'Yeah, because of all those drill sessions you gave me...'_ The brunette thought dryly.

 _ **[He's right though. You have improved mentally as well and have started to actually think things through.]**_ Ddraig spoke, sounding groggy. He must have just woken up.

 _'Well yeah, after the trade I realized that I always dove into fights without thinking. I did it with Raynare and I did it again with Raiser. Twice. And it either ended in me getting my ass handed to me or almost dying. If I'm gonna prove myself to Rias I have to actually start using my head. The one with my brain.'_

 _ **[Yes, I got it. But honestly, I believe you should give up on her. She's not worth your time, hatchling.]**_

Issei's eyes fell at his partners words and he clenched his fist. _'...I can't Ddraig. Its just not as easy as you or Aniki believe. This feeling in my heart...its not that easy to just let go. I feel that, at least, if I show her how strong I've become, I could get this weight off my shoulder.'_

There was a moment of silence between the gear and user. But a sigh soon broke those short seconds of peace. It was the gear.

 _ **[You can't let her hold you back, Issei. Staying fixated on the past can only get you so much. Especially if its just to impress a weakling like her. You must let go if you're to ever truly become strong.]**_

 _'She's not weak! She's...dammit why is it so hard... I mean, i know i should move on... But it's still just so hard,'_ Issei replied, sounding truly conflicted. He wanted to forget her but it was difficult. She saved his life, gave him meaning, and tossed him aside moments later.

 _ **[I know it is. But you'll get through it. I promise,]** _the dragon assured. _**[She was a stepping stone, one that you'll only grow from and become a better person with.]**_

 _'How are you so sure?'_ The brunette asked back.

Ddraig hesitated once more. The memory of a blue western dragon surfaced in his mind. He quickly pushed it down and controlled the sudden spike in his emotions. **_[Don't worry about the reason behind it. Just know you have people who believe in you.]_**

 _'Thanks Ddraig.'_

Once the link was severed, Issei returned to find Sairaorg looking at him with an amused smile. There were hints of pride in there as well. He could only imagine how long he had zoned out in his discussion with Ddraig.

"Ah, I'm sorry Aniki, I got distracted," he apologized quickly with a bow.

The Bael chuckled in response. "No need to apologize. You were talking with Ddraig, were you not?"

Issei slumped his shoulders and turned away from his king. "Yeah, we were. We were talking about Rias."

This made Sairaorg narrow his eyes. And similarly to the boy and his Sacred Gear, he and his master shared a moment of silence.

The heir was reminded of the day before. The conversation he and Regulus shared came back and he could feel the desire for the answer return. Although, it was not like it had quelled much since the assumption was proposed.

For the sake of his pawn, who was already like family to him, he had to uncover the answer. Even if it meant confronting the one who was related to him by blood. Whatever Rias did, he had to know, otherwise Issei's mind and heart would suffer.

The brunette didn't need to prove himself to her. He already had when he saved her from Raiser. When he put his life on the line and dissolved a marriage everyone knew she didnt want. Going against the laws and destiny, for her sake, with no expectant of a reward. He had proven himself tenfold and then some. Issei was more than enough for his prideful little cousin.

And yet, here he was, saying he hadn't felt it was enough.

"Ise, you may go. Kuisha and Ladora are waiting for you. You will be gone for some time, so pack accordingly."

"Hai," was the pawn's simple reply. He then turned to leave.

"Oh, and one more thing," Sairaorg said. Issei turned back. "This is to see how much you've grown. Kuisha and Ladora have your back but this task is to test if you can cover theirs. I believe in you Issei, so go make me proud."

Issei nodded once more before leaving and closing the door.

Sairaorg soon stood afterwards. A magic circle appeared before him, the same hue and symbol of his household glowing, ready for use.

"Oh, and Aniki..." Issei poked his head back in.

"Yes, what is it Issei?" The heir questioned.

"When I get back, tell me how you got that badass lion hiding in the shadows. I'm soooo jealous!" Issei said with a grin before disappearing behind the door once more.

Sairaorg's eyes went wide and he stood stiff for a few moments. The silence was broken by a light chuckle coming from behind the teen. And, as the brunette said, emerging from the shadows was Regulus. He had, what looked like, a grin on his face as he shook his head in amusement.

 **"So he knew I was there the whole time."**

"You didn't reveal yourself to him on purpose, did you?" Sairaorg asked without looking back.

 **"I didn't. The boy has already grown considerably. I'd say he's reaching the next step in his growth,"** Regulus replied, grinning widely.

"You mean Balance Breaker, correct?" The Bael asked, turning back to the beast.

It nodded in response. **"He's grown so much. Rias unlocked the potential but she didn't utilize it. Now, he's making it into his own weapon and excelling with it."**

"Could you say that this mission may unlock it?"

 **"Hard to say. Sacred Gears are fickle things created by God. Some just need more training while others could take a life or death situation to unleash it's raw power."**

Sairaorg put a fist to his chin in thought. He couldn't mull on it long but it was still incredible that the boy had come so far in such a short period of time. Not even he had such a growth spurt. Could it be Ddraig giving him some kind of boost? Or was it something more?

"Regulus."

 **"Mm..."**

"Is it possible for a Sacred Gear to alter the genetics of its host?"

The nemean lion paused for a moment. He then turned to his master with a look that spoke confusion. He was obviously vexed by the question.

 **"What do you mean?"**

"I mean, do you think Ddraig might be altering Issei's DNA? Possibly...turning him into a dragon?"

Regulus thinned his lips and narrowed his eyes. He thought on the idea for a moment before turning back to the heir.

 **"I've heard stories of gears altering their hosts bodies to accomdate their weight or abilities. But never have I heard of a Sacred Gear changing the actual genetics of its host."**

"But would it be possible for such a thing to happen?"

 **"Sacred Gears were made by God. And he was a lunatic. It just might be possible with everything that fools done."**

"I see..."

-XOXOXOXOX-

Rias was doing some paperwork in the Occult Research clubroom. She denied a few more requests from those trying to fill Issei's place. She signed off a few papers the Student Council sent her. And she, of course, signed a consent form for a Japanese expo that would be coming to town in a few weeks.

"Buchou," someone spoke up to her.

The redhead looked up to see her trusted queen, Akeno, standing before her.

"You have something for me?" The heiress asked, setting her reading glasses down.

"No, actually, someone wanted to speak with you. It was quite urgent in fact."

This aroused the curiosity of the Gremory. If Akeno came to her with this, it meant the matter was important. Supernatural important. If it was a human, the queen would turn them away. But for her to be relaying this information, it was no mere human.

So who?

Sona would usually be right behind her. Was it her brother? Or Grayfia possibly?

The doors then opened and she was surprised at who she saw. It had only been a few weeks since he had came, so it was shocking to see him back here again so soon.

"Hello Rias," Sairaorg greeted in a not-so-friendly tone. Akeno snuck past him and out the door, leaving the two kings alone.

"Sairaorg, what're you doing here so suddenly?" Rias asked, still taken aback.

"I've come here to discuss some things with you. More specifically about Issei," the fellow heir replied.

This made Rias sigh. She assumed she knew what was wrong and expected this outcome. "I told you he wasn't much, even with the Boosted Gear. And I'm not trading him back, I already have new pawns and they're actually proving much more beneficial."

This made the Bael narrow his eyes dangerously. "You think I want to trade him back to you? After what you've done? On the contrary, he's become much to important to me Riri," Sairaorg replied, folding his arms.

This made the club leader furrow her brows and look up to face her cousin. He was in front of her desk, looking down at her with an expression that was demanding her to take things much more seriously.

"What do you mean?" Rias asked curiously.

The heir's eyebrows scrunched as he glared at her. "You betrayed his trust. Locked him in this cage that makes him wary and distrustful of anyone. How he came to trust me and Kuisha is well and good but he's doubted himself ever since. Like he's not good enough for anyone when he's the most unique pawn I've ever seen."

This made Rias very curious and she slowly placed her pen down. She stared at the fellow devil before her, trying to find a clue as to what he meant. But there was none and, instead, she found an odd amount of pride. Was he...happy to have the pervert? Was he proud of the blunder she thought was her former pawn?

No, he was weak. He had just gotten lucky against Raiser. How could her cousin, the strongest of all the young devils, speak so highly of someone who was weak and perverted? It had only been a few weeks. How could he feel such pride behind that brash boy?

"You slipped up, Rias," Sairaorg stated. It made the redhead focus back in on him. "Because of you, he found the drive he needed to succeed. Its not the healthiest of choices but it's provided amazing results so far. And, as we speak, I'm not so sure I'll be the strongest much longer."

Rias's eyes widened. He said what!? He had to be messing with her. Trying to deceive her so she would trade back for the perverted idiot. That had to be it! There was no way Sairaorg could be serious about a claim like that. He wanted to be Maou, the strongest of the strong, and yet here he was saying Issei would become stronger than him!?

But, when she looked at his face, she could only see it as one-hundred percent truth. He was confident that his pawn would one day be the strongest of the young devils.

"B-But how?" She muttered in disbelief. "He was just lucky against Raiser. He had to sacrifice his arm to the dragon. There was no way he could amount to anything."

"First of all, the dragons name is Ddraig, learn it. Second, while he sacrificed his arm he did it for you. While the sacrifice gave him the momentary boost it was his affection for you that allowed him to beat Raiser Phenex. Maybe if you paid more attention, you would've seen it."

"Im sure I did! Before the Rating Game against Raiser, and even then, there was little to nothing. It was just lust. There's no way he could be any stronger than that!" She shouted, shooting up from her seat.

"Sorry cousin, but there was more. A lot more. And you made the mistake of doubting a wielder of a longinus. And doubting someone who saw you as their savior, their goddess."

Rias lowered her gaze to her desk. She looked at her hands, seeing both clenched into fists. Was she upset with the fact Sairaorg was telling her all this? Or the fact that she misjudged the one who saved her from her marriage?

Had she really screwed herself? No, no, he was just playing her. If this was all true, why wasn't Issei with him? It was a ploy! A scare tactic. Her intuition wasn't wrong, it almost never failed. The only time was reincarnating that boy in the first place. But she now rectified that.

Finger snaps to her face snapped her from those thoughts and she looked up to her fellow devil.  
"Sorry cousin, can't have you spacing out. We both have busy schedules and I'd rather move this along as quickly as possible," the Bael said, sounding the least bit apologetic.

Rias then remembered that the original reason was about Issei. But they had gotten off topic to the point the actual one wasn't said. But if he wasn't here about any of that, what was the real reason?

"Rias..." She looked up to see Sairaorg staring at her with a serious expression. It was dark and showed there was no more playfulness involved. She froze under that gaze as it radiated power and authority. Something he had a large amount of over her.

"Rias, what exactly happened when you originally revived Issei?"

-XOXOXOXOX-

Issei walked into the room before falling face first on the bed. Soon to follow were Ladora and Kuisha, the latter smiling at the brunnete while the former read his book.

It was a large spacious hotel room in a five star hotel at the dead center of town. It had a large living area with halls that looked to lead off to separate rooms. A small kitchen was beside the loving room, the fridge stocked with food. There was also a large couch with a coffee table in front of it. And above both, on a wall, a large flat screen sat.

"You seem tired Ise," Kuisha said, taking a seat on the bed next to the dragon emperor.

The boy lifted himself before grinning widely. "Nah, just happy we made it. I've never been to Europe before so I want to take it all in!" He then flopped back down again, enjoying the soft comforts the bed provided for him. He never knew five star hotels could be this comfortable. "And it starts with how soft this pillow is."

 _'Haah, I could honestly die with no regrets,'_ Issei thought, trying to sink deeper into the mattress.

 _ **[What about losing your virginity?]**_ Ddraig muttered. This made Issei's eyes widened and he flipped over immediately.

"Oh shit! How could I forget that!?" Issei shouted out.

"Forget what?" Kuisha asked, catching the pawn's attention. He had momentarily forgot she was there.

"Oh I, uh, forgot...my toothbrush, hehe yeah..." He replied, sounding the least bit truthful. He had shouted without realizing who was around him. Damn him and his perverted tendencies.

 _ **[Funny how you're starting to deny your perverted urges.]**_

 _'Shut up, Ddraig!'_

Kuisha, however, ignored his obvious lie and smiled instead. "Oh, that's okay, I brought a spare," she said, pulling a red toothbrush out of seemingly nowhere.

Issei blinked a few times before slowly taking it. He kept his eyes on his senpai, curious of how she always did that. She wasn't like Akeno but she had her own quirks as well that made her stand out.

"T-Thanks Kui-chi, you're always looking out for me."

"Of course, you're family now. We have to look out for one another," she replied, her smile brightening.

Issei couldn't help but smile back and then lowered his gaze to his hands. He fiddled with the toothbrush, rolling it around gently in his palms. A soft, sad smile appeared on his face.

"Yeah, I know. But you didn't have to do all that you've done. You made me feel welcomed and at home since day one. All of you, but you, Kui-chi, and Aniki have truly made me feel like I finally belong."

The queen paused momentarily. Slowly, her smile lowered and she sat there a little stunned.

She was surprised at his response and took a minute to think on what he just said. Her heart rate had increased for a few moments and she felt a small fire light up inside of her. It was a bit strange, since she hadn't felt that way for some time. It was a bit strange but she slowly controlled herself and took a few calming breaths. And just as she thought it was a one off thing...

"I mean...if there's anyone I'd like to see the city with, I'm happy that person's you."

Kuisha felt her heart thump once more and her cheeks grow just a bit hotter. Dammit Issei, why do you like catching people off guard? The innocence on his face and cluelessness to what he did to her. It was almost too unreal. He had the tongue of a devil and he was still new to the whole thing.

The blonde giggled, trying to recover herself. She didn't know what he was doing to her but she wouldn't let it affect her too much. Not now when they still had a mission to do.

Ladora, meanwhile, could see the interaction between the two and decided against involving himself. It was obvious that the two were starting to see each other as more than associates or friends. They didn't know it but all that training was bringing them closer. And this task would only heighten the speed at which it was going. He wasn't against seeing the seeds sprout. So, he left the room to find somewhere peaceful to continue his read. And leave the two young ones to come a bit closer. It'd take some time but all nurtured items did and they always made some thing beautiful.

Once he was gone, Kuisha was calm again and Issei was enjoying the bed once more.

"Well, we have a mission but we have plenty of time to do it. So why not enjoy the sights as well," Kuisha offered with a small smile.

Issei could see that it was warm. Soft and inviting, much different from her usual motherly smile. And it was beautiful on her, only making her look even more amazing. He blushed lightly, taken by such a look. Rias nor Akeno never gave him such a smile and it filled him more than theirs ever could.

But the smile wasn't there for long as the queen soon cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Ise?"

The pawn quickly found himself staring and shook his head. "Ah, sorry, y-yeah, that sounds like fun!" He replied, attempting to recover.

Kuisha giggled once more, always finding her kouhai's antics amusing.

"Great! I don't know much of the place either, so this should be a great time!"

Without another word, she stood and grabbed the brunette's hand. He barely got out a yelp before they were out the door and running down the hall, ready to see what sights and sounds the city held for them.

 _ **Alright, stage is set. Gears are now turning in multiple areas. And the new arc is finally underway.**_

 _ **This arc will take the place of the Excalibur arc, with its own plot as well as a few scenes or hints to the original. Sairaorg will now discover what happened to Issei when Rias revived him. Issei and Kuisha's relationship will start to deepen. And ill try to take it as slow as possible but I'm a sap for couples. And the path towards Balance Breaker has begun for our pervy fool.**_

 _ **Issei's**_ **_Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Rossweisse, and Roygun Belphagor_**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed. Review to keep up with me. PM ideas and all of that. And I promise to try and provide the next chapter much much sooner._**

 ** _I WILL BE UPDATING IT VERY SOON. AS THIS UPDATE WAS JUST TO GET THE CHAPTER OUT THERE_**


	6. Act II: Life II

**Welp, Im back. Like I promised, I delivered this as soon as possible. Haha, I worked a little more for you guys.**

 **Questions a comments to address.**

 **First, Asia. Some of you guys want me to remove her. Reason being because she's like a sister. Her personality just doesn't allow that. Well, im gonna deny that request because I have plans for her to rectify those thoughts. Which you'll see very soon.**

 **Second, Rias's pawns. I've decided but I'm not going to reveal them just yet. Not until the coming confrontation between Issei and the peerage. Which will be coming within a few chapters. So don't worry, the reveal is coming.**

 **Third, Kuisha and Issei. Their love will be built a bit slow. I don't like the slow route but I want to take it to properly build Issei and others before making the jump to a love connection. So it'll still be some time.**

 **And fourth, I have changed a few things in Chapter 5. Nothing too major but just some minor tweaks to change how things played out in this chapter. So, if you're curious, give it a quick glance over before delving into this chapter.**

 **Enjoy.**

It was the end of the day and school had finally let out. Students were either heading home, downtown to have fun with their friends, or going to their respective clubs.

This was no exception for the prestigious Kuoh Academy. Nor to the former nun, Asia Argento.

She had just finished her classes and was making her way to the Old School building. Many people asked if she wanted to hang out and a few guys asked her out on dates. But she kindly refused them all, responding with the usual "I have club activities".

However, it wasn't as bright and cheery as she made it out to be. By the time she was alone, with no one around her, her smile would disappear and her eyes would gain this crestfallen look. As if her very soul had been sucked out of her.

And, if anyone knew her personally, they'd know the reason why.

Issei.

Her first friend. Her first family. And her first crush.

The boy has become a huge part of her life. He welcomed her with open arms and was very nice to her. He took her on a date and made her feel special for the first time in her life. She felt like she was blessed with him by her side. And then she was murdered for her Sacred Gear.

But she was then saved by him and given a second chance at life. He helped her adjust to school and help make so many friends. He even went as far as to help her learn Japanese so she would fit in better.

And just like that, he wormed his way into her heart and made her feel loved. And made her fall in love with him in return. Even if he didn't see her that way.

But that all quickly changed when Rias announced that she was trading Issei.

It shocked her. It shocked everyone! How could they not be!?

Issei had just defeated Raiser. He had saved Rias from a marriage she didn't want. He put his body on the line, again and again. He sacrificed his arm to get enough power to save her. He went against all of the Underworld so he could help her. He cried, he bled, and he almost died just so she could have a choice.

And how does she repay him? By giving him away to someone else!? By trading him after she deems him useless!? After all he's done for her!

Asia wanted to tell her no. She wanted to tell her she was wrong. To tell her that Issei wasn't just some tool and that he was just as important as anyone there. That she should value him more since he had literally just saved her life. And that trading him would be the biggest mistake she could ever make.

But, just as always, she didn't speak up. She didn't say a word. She sat back and kept her mouth shut. She cowered and held her tongue, all just to avoid the wrath of her king. And at what expense? The betrayal of her friend?

Could she even still call him that? Would he even still see her that way?

The look in his eyes. The way he looked at her, searching and begging for help. She didn't have the strength to meet his gaze head on. Instead, she turned away. All because her king declared she do nothing.

She was scum.

No, scum wouldn't betray their friends. She was worse than scum.

Where was Issei? How was he even doing? Was he still alive? Was he eating healthy, getting stronger, or even alive?

Was he seeing another woman?

Questions like these bounced around the blonde's head as she tried to wrap her mind around it. She wanted to see Issei, to make sure he was okay. But she knew that her master wouldn't allow it. No matter how much she begged or pleaded, she would be denied again and again. If not by Rias than by the ones who stayed by her side since the beginning.

Asia seemed to be the only one who cared for the absence of her first friend. Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, none of them seemed to care that he was gone. And if they did, they hid it very well.

All of them continued their day to day as if nothing happened.

Akeno continued her teasing and playful attitude. Kiba had no change whatsoever in how he acted. And Koneko...she still showed little emotion and ate her snacks.

Was this how things were before Issei came along? Was it really always this boring? Bland? With no signs of anything productive? This accomplished nothing.

Asia wasn't stupid. She remembered how Raiser had crushed them during the Rating Game. He had defeated all of them with ease. He merely played with them and gave them false hope before destroying it all together. It was all a ploy, much similarly used by Moses before he defeated the Egyptians at the Red Sea. It was to make sure they never tried anything again. Despite the fact if Egypt reevaluated their plans and tried again, they would've succeeded.

And what was Rias doing right now? Nothing! They weren't training or even discussing a strategy if something like that came up again. They just continued as if nothing happened. Everyone laid around, went to school, did contracts, and took care of the occasional stray devil.

But what did that accomplish? Absolutely nothing.

The guy Issei went with seemed really strong. Meaning Issei had to be getting stronger himself, right!? So why weren't they? Wasn't the point to being reincarnated was so she could get stronger, move up the ranks, and eventually receive her own peerage? She wasn't getting any closer to that, or to getting Issei back. And it seemed Rias didn't care either as she continued to play around and do nothing.

The bishop promised herself that she would train hard to keep up with Issei. And what was she doing? Lying around and just doing contracts. She wasn't getting stronger, in fact, it almost felt like she was back tracking. And if she didn't fix that soon, she was sure that Issei would be too far out of reach. And the last thing she wanted to do was lose him completely.

"Issei..." Asia whispered, clutching her hand over her heart. She had to do something. Find someway to get stronger and stand by his side again. But what could she do? She wasn't strong physically like Koneko or one of Raiser's rooks. Nor was she adept in magic like Rias or Akeno. All she had was her healing and that didn't offer much to improve on.

What could she do!?

"Rias, I'm honestly very disappointed..." A new voice spoke up. Asia shot up in alert from it and realized she was standing in front of the club's doors. She blinked a few times before noticing the voice came from inside the clubroom. And it sounded the least bit pleased.

"Sairaorg, you know the political system. I had to," the blonde heard her master say.

"I know the system very well. Those fallen were in your territory, you had every right to do something to at least warn him of the empending danger! And the fact that that's how you reincarnated Ise is disgusting. The trust he had for you, it was obviously a lie," Sairaorg growled in response.

Asia poked her head in the door, making sure she wasnt seen or heard, watching the two kings glare at each other. The only thing in between them was the desk and that did little to suppress the energy they were releasing. It was blatantly obvious they were in a heated argument. And Issei was the source. But what about exactly?

"You have no right to question my judgement," Rias snapped back.

"Oh I do, Riri. The moment Issei became my pawn, his problems became mine. And you, you are the biggest one for both of us." Sairaorg looked to be seething. His fists were clenched tight, his teeth weee grit, and his power was growing the more time passed.

Asia was actually surprised by that. He was getting this worked up over Issei? Did that mean that he cared for the brunette?

"He works day in and day out, all so he can live up to your expectations. But to find out that his views of you are fabricated lies, I...I don't even know what to tell him," the Bael stated, sounding very displeased. "You've not only disgraced yourself, you've disgraced the Gremory name."

"Watch where you step Sairaorg. You aren't in the best position to talk down to me. And I could honestly care less about Issei. He was a weak pervert then and probably a weak pervert now," she blurted out, slamming her fist on the desk. "If anything, I should have left him for dead and gone with my current pawns sooner!"

*Gasp!*

The sharp intake of air broke the tension between the two devils and they turned around. There, they saw Asia standing, mouth agape and shock filled eyes. She was frozen stiff, staring at her king with a look of betrayal.

"A-Asia, what're you-"

"Is that really what you think of him?" The former nun asked softly. But it was easily heard by both devils.

"I mean, I-"

"Was he some toy to you? A tool or something?" She asked a little more aggressively. She took a step forward, feeling an emotion she never felt.

"Asia, let me explain..."

"After he saved your life? Was that when you deemed his role fulfilled?" She said a bit louder. She clenched her hands into fists and her eyebrows dropped, narrowing her eyes.

"Asia, it's not like that!"

"Are you gonna do the same to me too? After I've accomplished whatever you see fit, will you trade me to someone else as well? Or just flat out get rid of me?" She tightened her jaw and her shoulders squared.

"No! I would never-"

"Then why did you abandon Issei!?" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Rias flinched from the emotion behind it and, for the first time, was wary of the bishop. "He loved you Rias! And you just threw him aside like trash!"

The redhead's eyes widened to full size. She was caught off guard by the blonde's sudden claim and hesitated to answer. Her breath hitched as Asia felt this new emotion growing in the pit of her stomach.

It slowly spread and filled her with the want and desire to hit something. For the first time ever, Asia wanted to inflict pain upon someone. And that someone stood right before her.

"H-He-"

"Why else would he sacrifice his body for you? His life for you? His pride, his dignity, and the respect of many? Just because he kinda liked you!?"

This was not the same Asia everyone knew. This wasn't the kind, caring, gentle, and loveable ex-nun that Rias had reincarnated. No, this was a completely different girl. This girl was no where near the same Asia before Issei left. Hell, it wasn't the one they had to deal with for the past few weeks. But why? It was so sudden, it was like she suddenly snapped!

"Seems that your sneaky tactics and desperation to get out of the marriage contract with Raiser are now coming full circle," Sairaorg spoke, garnering the club leader's attention once more. He looked as dead serious and angered as Asia, still showing a large amount of disappointment at her. "I'll leave you to your business. I've spent too much time here and it looks like you have a lot of explaining to do."

And just like that, the magic circle appeared and the older male stepped in. But as it begun to flash he looked over his shoulder. "Oh, and I'll be sure to tell your family of your decision. I can only wonder how they'll react once I relay your exact words to them."

And with that, he disappeared with the bright light. Rias stared at the spot where he left before turning back to her bishop, who was still fuming. Now, not only was Asia angry at her but now her parents and brother would catch wind of her deeds.

They had told Rias of how much they liked the boy and hoped to properly meet him. But she kept putting it off in favor of the trade. Now, they would know before she could tell them. And, to make matters worse, she knew Sairaorg would make her out to be the bad guy. What could she do?

First, she had to try and control of raging bishop. This was the last thing she needed.

"Asia, please let me explain..."

"No, I'm not done! Its your turn to listen!" Rias took a step back, feeling what seemed to be fear. And the source of it was the blonde before her. The one who never got angry or yelled at anyone.

What had happened to her bishop? Because, for the first time, Asia was experiencing what was known as rage. And she didn't look to be attempting to control it at all.

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Come on Ise. You gotta keep up," Kuisha shouted over her shoulder.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're so nimble and can slide past everyone," the pawn replied, not too far behind. He shoved past a few more people, trying to keep track of the blonde in front of him. It was a little difficult, being in the center of the city, but luckily his sensory skills had improved and he was able to track her easily. She stood out from most of the human tourists and the few holy followers due to her demonic aura.

"You're such a slowpoke Ise," she said once more, spinning around to see how far back he was. When she noticed him cutting through the crowd like a sharpened blade, she realized she had underestimated him once more.

"Hehe, who's a slowpoke?" He replied with a big grin, just a few yards behind her.

Kuisha smiled and turned, deciding to continue their game of cat and mouse. It wasn't much training but a good excersise nonetheless. And it was pretty fun at the same time.  
It wasn't long after that the blonde found an open street. As she turned, a sight immediately caught her eyes and she stopped.

Not too far behind, Issei came charging around the corner. It was a split second between when he sped around and when he saw his senpai. He knew he couldn't stop in time and shifted his body to the side, just barely dodging Kuisha.

She was left untouched but he, on the other hand, lost his balance in the process. And, soon enough, he found his face on the floor and his ass in the air.

"Issei, are you okay?" The queen asked.

The boy shot up and turned back to her. "Don't stop so suddenly!" He shouted from his spot on the ground. His cheeks puffed out and he folded his arms as he sat cross legged and turned away.  
Kuisha giggled at the act. "Sorry, but that store really caught my eye."

Issei rose a brow, momentarily losing his disdain, before turning to see what she was talking about.  
His eyes landed on what she was looking at and he discovered it was a pastry shop. He blinked a few times before looking back at the queen. She smiled sheepishly and placed a hand over her stomach. It was actually kind of cute.

"We didn't eat anything before we left, so I'm a bit peckish," she admitted before sticking her tongue out.

Issei stared at her a bit longer before he began to chuckle himself. His stomach growled in response, proving the fellow devil's words to be true.

He stood and dusted himself off before jabbing a thumb at the place. "Well why not? I've always been curious of European desserts. Maybe I can find an idea for a new dish while we're there."

"That's the spirit, let's go then, I can't wait!" Kuisha said, barely containing her excitement. She quickly grabbed the brunettes hand before hurrying into the store with him close behind.

As they entered, a little bell above the door rung. From behind the counter, an elderly couple smiled and waved to the two.

"Welcome, welcome. Can we help you two with anything?" The elderly male asked in what was known as English.

Luckily for Issei, Sairaorg had taught him how to understand some of the language. At least to the extent where he could hold a conversation.

"Yes, we saw your shop and had to come in," Kuisha replied with a bright smile. The elderly couple smiled in return while Issei stared at her, awestruck with how fluently she responded. It seemed like it was almost second nature to her.

"Ah, well thank you. There's lots to choose from so take your time," the older male said, smiling just as bright.

"Thank you. We'll be sure to look over carefully," she replied. With a nod, the older couple walked into the back. Most likely to make a few more desserts.

...

"See anything you like Ise?" Kuisha asked, glancing over at the brunette.

"Hmm, I'm curious of the souffle. But then there's also the apple crisp quiche... What about you?" He asked, glancing back at her.

"Well, there's the pie a la mode, but then there's also scones. It's a really tough decision."  
"Why not get one of each?" A third voice spoke up.

Both devils were caught off guard and shot around. There, they came face to face with another male. He waved in response with a lazy smile. But both of them became very defensive by the very sight of him.

The male was taller than both of them by a few inches. He had long blonde hair and soft green eyes, giving him a very refreshing look despite his lazy expression. But, what had the two teenagers on edge was his priest outfit and silver cross.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, haha," he chuckled, waving his hand defensively.

The two devils didn't budge an inch. They could feel the power radiating off the male in front of them and it far exceeded either of theirs. He was powerful, despite being a human. Was he an exorcist or a mage of the Church?

"Ah, Dulio, it's good to see you again," the elder woman spoke from behind the teens. He looked up to her and smiled.

"Yes, it's been some time Alice. How have you been?" He asked with a warming smile.  
"I've been well. How are the kids? Did they enjoy the treats we sent?"

"Yes, very much. They loved yours and Adam's cooking. Of course, who wouldn't?"

"I'm glad. Have you come back to get some more for them? Or yourself?" She asked. He chuckled.

"Actually, I've brought a friend. She's been so stiff these past few days, I'm hoping some of your sweets can unwind her."

"Oh, well we'll be happy to meet her."

"Great. She'll be here very soon," he said happily. His attention then switched back to the two devils who were still watching him warily. "In the meantime, why not let me buy you two those sweets as an apology for scaring you?"

Issei and Kuisha were still very cautious. They glanced at each other before looking back at the blonde male. He showed no signs of hostility towards them and didn't seem really willing to fight at all. In fact, he just seemed like an all around nice guy.

Still, they had to stay on guard.

"Well, since you're offering, it'd be rude to say no. Thank you," Kuisha said with a bow.  
"No need to thank me. I noticed you two don't look like you're from around here. Least I can do is show a little hospitality," he replied with a big toothy grin.

The bell rung, signaling someone had walked in. The trio turned to it and noticed another person.

Dressed in full nun's clothing, a woman walked in. She looked older than them, maybe around Dulio's age or a little older. She had blue eyes and gentle looking facial features.

"Ah Griselda, you made it!" Dulio said happily. She looked at him with a stoic look before walking over towards the trio. The devils could feel that she was just as strong as the exorcist. This must have been the person he spoke of.

"Dulio, I still don't understand why you invited me out. I must see Xenovia off and I have very little time," she replied.

"Oh come on, you're always so busy. You got to relax every once and a while," Dulio whined, sounding very childish. It actually made Kuisha and Issei lose their caution towards him for the moment. And that, in turn, alerted Griselda to them.

"Oh, and who are you two?" She asked, sounding very polite. It was much different than how she spoke to the older blonde. It was just lucky that she wasnt hostile towards them either.

"These are two new friends I made. They'll be joining us here. They're..." He paused momentarily before turning to the two. "I actually didn't get your names," he said sheepishly, invoking the other three to look at him with deadpanned expressions.

"Honestly Dulio, I wonder about you some times. Anyways, if you'll allow me to introduce myself first, I'm Griselda Quarta, pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"And I'm Dulio Gesualdo. But you kinda already knew that."

"Kuisha Hyoudou," Kuisha introduced herself with a bow. It was on the fly but both devils knew she couldn't reveal her last name. Lest she give away the fact she was a devil. Better they didn't know if they already haven't figured it out.

"Issei Hyoudou, nice to meet you." He went along with the flow and they both silently decided to play the part as brother and sister.

"See, now with introductions out the way... We can enjoy some sweets!" Dulio shouted, immediately changing the subject. He was met with looks of disappointment or caution. The former from his partner and the latter from both teens. He was obviously a weird one.

"Well, seeing as we're here, might as well," Griselda said with a sigh. No use trying to argue against the blonde male. He was a stubborn one.

Issei and Kuisha looked at each other once more. They saw no problem with it but they would still stay on guard just in case. So, with a silent nod, they turned back and smiled softly at the two.

"Thank you for having us," Kuisha said.

"Please take care of us," Issei added, both bowing simultaneously.

"Alright. Well, let's chow down then!"

 **And there it is. This'll be where I leave it off. Asia has finally reached the end of her fuse, Sairaorg has his answer and is going to relay it to the Gremory family, and Issei and Kuisha have met two very powerful exorcists while they were simply trying to enjoy sweets.**

 **How will it play out, what's going to happen next? You'll have to wait and see. Mwuhahaha.**

 _ **Issei's**_ **_Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Rossweisse, and Roygun Belphagor_**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed. Review to keep up with me. PM ideas and all of that._**


	7. Act II: Life III

**Im finally back. Finally, finally, finally. And I blame it on school, work, and laziness. But I'm back and ready to get the show on the road once more. Thanks to all who kept pushing to me to write, finally got where I want to go again, and I can assure these next few chapters will be good.**

"So, Issei, Kuisha, what brought you two all the way out here from Japan?" Dulio asked with a light smile.

"We're actually here searching for something," Issei replied.

"Oh? It must be important if you two have traveled this far," Griselda said from her seat next to Dulio.

"Yes, it is. If I remember correctly, it was left in this city and we have to retrieve it as soon as possible," Kuisha answered.

"If there's anything we can do to help-"

Issei immediately waved his hands, stopping the offer immediately. "Oh no, we could never ask you of that. You've already shown us enough hospitality."

"Are you sure?" Griselda asked with a sign of genuine concern.

"Yeah. Besides, this is something we have to do on our own," Issei replied.

"I see. It must be a family matter if I can take a guess?" Dulio asked.

"Something like that," Kuisha said, glancing over to Issei.

"I see, well we wish you the best in that endeavor," Griselda replied with a light head bow.

"Thanks," Issei replied with a big grin.

The group continued to eat their sweets and kept up with their light conversations. Issei and Kuisha were asked about school, hobbies, and a few other questions which they answered like a normal human would.

"A culinary school? Hm, no wonder you found yourselves drawn to this shop!" Dulio stated with a big grin.

"Hehe, you could say that..." Kuisha replied.

"I was curious of European sweets. I wanna try my hand in it and thought this would be a great place to research," Issei said from her immediate right.

"You have great taste! The sweets are perfect and the owners make everything right here," Dulio informed happily.

"Seriously!?"

"Uh-huh!"

"That's amazing! No preservatives? Nothing shipped across seas?"

"Nope. They have quite a hand at making magic from nothing."

"Thats...amazing. They're amazing..." Issei said in complete awe, falling back in his seat.

"They really are," Dulio replied with a soft smile.

Kuisha and Griselda merely looked between their partners. The boys loves for sweets may have made them brothers in arms. It was a bit odd in their eyes but it was a good sight seeing they found someone like one another.

As conversations continued, the younger duo asked about the elders knowledge of Europe, curiosity to how they knew of the shop, and of their religious views. They even went as far as to ask how the two came to joining the Church and of their deep devotion.

"Our devotion?" Griselda asked, looking a bit taken by the question. When the teenagers nodded, both followers looked at each other before pondering the question a bit.

"Well, if I had to say, I'd do any and everything for the Church. It's been a huge part of me my whole life and God has guided me every step of the way. So I'd say it goes pretty deep," Griselda replied thoughtfully. She sounded genuine and passionate with her claim. So the duo nodded their heads, accepting the answer. They then turned to the older blonde who still looked to be pondering the question.

"Hm it's been some time since I was asked that," he murmured, just barely audible. "I guess it'd be the fact because of God I can travel the world and eat all I want."

Issei and Kuisha had incredulous looks on their faces while Griselda just shook her head in disappointment. Of all the answers, they hadn't expected that.

"Seriously?" Issei asked with a light disbelief.

"Yup!" The older blonde replied, popping the "p".

"That's quite the reason..." Kuisha asked, unsure of how to really respond to that.

"Oh it is. I travel the world, trying all types of foods. Spicy, sweet, hot, cold, you name it."

"Dulio, I feel you're mislead sometimes..." Griselda muttered, resting her face in the palm of her hand.

"What?" He asked in return. He looked at all of them with genuine confusion.

"Forget it..." The nun replied as she looked off.

It was then that they heard the chime of the bell. The group looked back to see two more people walk in. They were clad in white robes with golden clasps.

The first was a girl. She had chestnut colored hair, tied in twintails, with violet eyes. The second was also a girl. But she had short blue hair, with a green bang, and golden eyes.

The newcomers looked around the store before their eyes landed on the group. The two then rushed forward, joining the sides of the church followers.

"Dulio-sama, Griselda-sama, there you are! We thought you two ran off!" The twintailed girl whined. She sounded like the innocent and childish type.

"Yes. We looked all over the city for you," the bluenette comtinued. She was the cold serious type. She reminded Issei a lot of Koneko. Except with bigger breasts and height. Despite that robe, Issei still could somehow see those two luscious bags he would've loved to squeeze, if he were his old self.

Still though, they were very nice.

No! Bad!

"My apologies you two. Dulio somehow convinced me to come here," Griselda replied, switching her gaze from them to the blonde. The other two followed, placing the spotlight on the priest.

"Eheh, sorry..." He said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "It's just whenever we come here I have to come. And it's a good thing because we made some new friends."

Once the young man mentioned the other two the spotlight shifted. Issei and Kuisha tensed a bit as they noticed the power of the four before them.

Or, more so, the four powerful energies from the people before them. With the way the attention changed towards them it was as if the holy energy shifted as well. And the pressure on their shoulders wasnt the easiest to igignore, not in the slightest.

"Ah, Issei, is that you?" The first girl asked in shock.

The devil duo felt the attention turn away in favor of the chestnut haired girls question.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Issei asked, genuinely confused.

The girl was momentarily hurt but realized it had been a few years. "Its me, Irina Shidou. Your childhood friend," she answered.

Issei thought on the name for some time before a familiar image popped in his head. His eyes widened and he shot from his seat, pointing at her.

"Augghh! That Irina Shidou! I haven't seen you in years! Y-you were a girl this whole time!?" He shouted back at her.

The group looked at him lost for the moment before turning back to the now named Irina. She was laughing softly and scratching her cheek. She didn't seem offended by the question at all.

"Guess I did dress and act like a boy. It must have been easy to confuse me for one."

"Still, I haven't seen you in years. How are you?" Issei asked, walking around the table towards her. He didn't stop till he hugged her, shocking the entire group there. Irina included.

"Ah- ...I'm fine. You?" She squeaked in return, a deep blush appearing on her face.

Issei pulled back, just enough to look her in the eyes. He remembered all the moments leading to now before softly smiling in response. "Its been...rocky. But successful nonetheless. Who knew I'd get to see you again."

Irina was still stiff in his arms, her blush a rose red. A goofy smile was on her face and her thoughts were similar to his, taken aback that the brunette was actually standing before her.

"Ahem, I'm to assume you two know each other quite well," another voice spoke up.

The reuniting friends eyes widened as they remembered where they were. They turned back to see the others looking at them with various expressions.

The bluenette was impassive, Kuisha was cheery, Griselda had a small, almost unnoticeable smile, and Dulio had a shit-eating grin. He was the obvious one to poke some fun at them and ask the question.

"A reunion between childhood friends. Soon to blossom into pure love that neither realized they had for one another," he said, going through the actions someone would expect to see in an anime.

"You're reading those mangas again, aren't you..." Griselda said from the side.

"Yes I am," he replied with no signs of embarrassment. The nun sighed and looked away with dread. Why was she paired with him all those years ago...?

Issei, in the meantime, released Irina and moved away hoping to avoid any more embarrassment. Much to the disappointment of his childhood friend. She had been reminded of his warmth when he hugged her and embraced her in it.

"We use to play everyday when we were kids. We were practically joined at the hip," Issei answered. He scratched the back of his head, chuckling softly.

"You two must have been good friends for you to hug her so easily," Griselda noted, her smile widening just an inch.

"Hehe, I suppose. My body kinda moved on it's own," he replied.

"I see.." The nun muttered. But she switched gears the same second as her attention turned to the white robed girls. "Now Irina, Xenovia, I'm to understand you two have a good reason for wasting your time looking for Dulio and myself?"

The tone of her voice and look in her eyes turned cold and authoritative. Much like a leader getting ready to berate their underlings. And the two young girls cowered, as they should, under the aura of Griselda.

The smile on her face didn't prove to help either. In fact, it made the look all the more fear inducing.

"Well, we..."

"You must, seeing as this mission is very important," Griselda added, her smile widening.

"Lady Griselda-"

"If I'm to remember correctly, your flight is set to leave within the coming hour. And if you miss it there won't be another chance for some time."

"Ano...well..."

"You realized this correct?"

"Griselda, you don't have to be so strict," Dulio said from the side. The nun turned to him with an equally cold aura pointed at the blonde male.

"You know the importance of this mission. The last thing I need to do is let them screw this up," she responded sharply.

"That's true but it's not like the airport is too far away. If we leave now they can make their flight with time to spare," he said with his hands raised in surrender.

The older woman looked at her partner for a moment. She slowly let the tension drop from her body stature and erased the aura towards both parties. "I suppose you're right."

It was then that the four church followers rose to leave. But not before remembering the last two of their little group. They turned back to see Issei and Kuisha, waiting patiently for their conversation to end, trying not to intervene in church matters.

"Ah, we must apologise to you two. We had forgotten you for the moment," Griselda stated with a bow.

The two devil's were quick to wave it off.

"It's fine, you guys have important business. We're in a similar spot," Issei replied.

"Ah, that's right. Issei, didn't you say you were from Kuoh?" Dulio asked. Issei turned to him, a little confused by the question.

"Yeah. Why?"

"We're curious if there's been some unusual activities you may have noticed," Dulio answered, taking on an uncharacteristically serious expression.

"Uh...its been some time since I've been home. I wouldn't be able to give you an accurate answer," he replied, scratching his head nervously. "Sorry."

Dulio smiled once more to ease him. "Don't worry about it. You've done nothing wrong." He then stood and joined the three at the door. "It was nice meeting you. We hope you and your sister find whatever it is you're looking for."

"Thank you. Same to you as well."

"Thank you. God bless you."

And with that the holy group left. What they failed to notice was Issei and Kuisha grab their heads. A sharp pain had shot through them at the priests words and they were reminded of God's disgust towards devils.

Whether the older blonde knew they were devils or not, the system was still in affect and that meant praises from them or towards them would invoke it's wrath. And the last thing the duo wanted was a headache from a priest's lack of knowledge.

"We dodged a huge bullet there," Kuisha said, still recovering from the pain.

"Yeah... You think they noticed?" Issei asked.

"If they did, we'd be dead," Kuisha replied.

"Fair enough."

-XOXOXOXOX-

Outside the shop, the group of four had gathered by the street and hailed a taxi. At the same time, Griselda and Dulio shared a look at each other, knowing what was on the others mind.

"They were devils Dulio," the female exorcist said.

"I know this. But c'mon, they weren't causing any harm," the blonde replied with a shrug.

"Why else would devils be here? They have to be causing some kind of trouble."

"Griselda, they didn't seem to harbor any ill-intention towards you, me, Irina, or Xenovia," Dulio reasoned. "When they walked in with the Excaliburs, Issei and Kuisha made no hostile moves."

"Of course, there are four exorcists with two Excalibur fragments. They shouldn't even think of it."

Dulio gained a serious look on his face. One that made the nun question how important this topic seemed to him. "Griselda, would you attack those kids if you had the chance?"

The woman paused. For a moment she didn't answer as she contemplated her response. Which was odd for her since she already knew the answer. She was a exorcist, they were devils, the math was for the birds. Yet why was she hesitating. Was it the fact she sat down and talked with them? Could their innocent demeanors have softened her heart just enough to let them go?

"You see, the fact you're thinking about it is more than enough to see reason," Dulio continued. He knew his partner was still perplexed by her heaitance.

"It's okay that you didn't act. It means you're thinking and realizing not all devils are bad and don't mean to cause harm. You saw children and not spawns of the underworld."

"I don't like this Dulio. I shouldn't have to think about it, I should be doing God's work," Griselda replied.

"I understand this..." Dulio casted a glance at Irina and Xenovia before continuing his statement at a much lower tone so the young exorcists couldn't hear. "You remember what the Vatican told us though. God is dead."

"So what, that doesn't mean we stop listening to what we've been taught and preached our whole lives!"

"I understand this but times are changing. We need to evaluate ourselves before we go judging others."

"Are you suggesting that we are like devils!?"

"No, not at all. What I'm saying is that those kids meant no harm to us and I don't think they mean any harm to anyone of our faction. Whatever they're here for, it doesn't concern us and we shouldn't interfere. We have enough to worry about on our own."

Griselda studied the blonde for a long time. Her eyes lingered on his, looking for any point where he make back down or question himself. But Dulio stayed resistant and didn't budge on his words.

She then released a sigh and shook her head. "You are a stubborn man..."

Dulio smiled his usual smile. "Yup."

A moment of pause ensued before the next set of words were spoken. Dulio looked out the window and Griselda stared at her hands. No words were said but it was easy to tell that the two grown exorcists were in thought.

"You know I didn't mean my words to sound hateful towards those two. It's just..." A warm hand touched her shoulder. And she looked back to see the blonde smiling comfortingly.

"I understand. You're protecting yourself and Xenovia. It's okay."

Griselda smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you Dulio. You're a good man."

The male exorcist grinned wide and chuckled in response. "Of course! I have to be!"

Griselda's appreciative smile quickly faded and her expression took on a very annoyed look towards the man. "And other times you're something else..."

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Ise, he asked you about Kuoh. Do you know of anything?"

"No, nothing really," the brunette replied with a shake of his head. He hadn't kept any communication with those from Kuoh, except his parents. But he couldn't ask them if they noticed anything unordinary or supernatural.

Kuisha crossed her arms and looked to enter a deep thought. Issei and herself had left the sweets shop and continued on as the blonde continued her unvoiced speculations. What in a city, controlled by devils, could garner the attention of another faction?

"Has there been any incidents with another faction there? Like a dispute or crime hindering the cease-fire, that you know of."

Issei immediately flashed back to the run in with the fallen angels. His death, his revival, meeting Asia, the kidnapping, and finally the end of it all. It brought back many emotions just from the thoughts. The confliction, the anger, sadness, rage, happiness, and resentment. It was hard trying to control them as Issei still had issues when it came to the fallen angel and, now, the devils of that city.

The Longinus wielder unknowingly clenched his fists and grit his teeth. And, in response, a surge of power swirled around him. It was unstable, powerful, dominating, and, most importantly, felt more draconic than any of Issei's surges of power.

Kuisha noticed this and turned to him immediately. She saw the turmoil in his eyes and could tell he had thought on something's he wasn't thrilled about. She felt the power of the Welsh dragon burning within, feeling his emotions and returning them with power that would destroy. It was a sign of his growth and further evidence of Sairaorg's observation.

Issei was growing closer to Balance Breaker. One step closer to truly becoming the Red Dragon Emperor.

And then, the power was released. Issei took a deep breath and calmed down. Closing his eyes, he realized his place and where he was and quelled his emotions for a bit longer.

The queen smiled at this, seeing as he was able to regain control from his moment of turmoil. He was still growing and getting past what happened to him. And it was hard, especially since his Sacred Gear fed off of those emotions. Anguish, hatred, rage, fear, sadness, they were all fuel to the **Boosted Gear** and it turned that fuel into a dark fire that could consume the user if they weren't careful.

Kuisha was very happy for her kouhai. He wasn't just growing physically but mentally as well. And she was sure that one day he'd beat what was holding him back.

She wanted to see his growth and see him achieve more, not just as a devil but a human too. He was reincarnated as a devil but he held on to those human traits and had ties to it that he couldn't just let go. But to see him maturing and facing these types of problems, it showed that there was much more to him than the person she saw at the Phenex manor.

"There was an incident with the Grigori. Or...well, they were rogue fallen angels. They attempted to kill me and Asia, Rias' bishop. They succeeded but she revived us. We had fought them at an abandon church to get to Asia and...we killed them."

"I see," Kuisha responded. She looked around, making sure they weren't heard or around unknowing civilians. Luckily, it was a path through a park and the people were ignoring them all together.

"Ise, these fallen angels, were they connected to something you think might attract the angels attention?" The blonde asked. Issei paused and thought back before a thought did come forward.

"Now that you mention it, they had a machine that extracted Sacred Gears. Does that help?" The pawn asked.

"Maybe. We can't tell for sure, especially since we're going off speculation and assumptions. Lets finish this mission quickly and join up with Ladora. Once we defeat the Stray we'll report back to Sairaorg-sama. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

The two turned and began their trek back. Kuisha asking Issei those questions began to make him question a few things himself. Looking back at all that transpired he began to realize a few things throughout all that happened during that entire incident.

The first was Raynare. Looking back, he noticed how incredibly weak she was. He had no room to talk at the time but, after all his training, he noticed how much of a cakewalk she would be now. Hell, the him after training with Rias was more than enough.

So why was she so cocky? So arrogant, prideful, and narcissistic? Like she was assured of winning? And why had it increased after she took Asia's Sacred Gear? It only healed injuries and provided no form of attack whatsoever. Sure she could sustain in fights but anyone at Issei's level could obliterate her before she had time to do such a thing.

It just seemed...odd. Was there something more she didn't tell him? Or was their a higher power he just didn't know about?

Oh well, he had to focus on the mission at hand. Once they found and took care of the Stray he could think a little more on what happened at the Church.

As the sun set, the timing for the hunt couldn't have been anymore perfect. Issei wouldn't fail Kuisha or Ladora. Nor would he fail Sairaorg, who had a lot of faith in him. He had a lot he wanted to do and needed to get back to training. Sooner he gets done, the sooner he could get back home.

-XOXOXOXOX-

Sirzechs had finally found the perfect time to visit his parents. He was free of work, for now, had an empty schedule, and found himself missing home just a bit. So he made up his mind, made his way home, and was now having a nice lunch with his parents.

They were all in the family room. Tea had been poured, neat-cut sandwiches were on the table, and the trio were laughing away. Zeoticus had told the story of his golfing trip in the human world and it still made his wife and son laugh to this day.

"Sirzechs, this has been a wonderful time seeing you again outside of politics," Zeoticus said with a soft smile.

"Yes, it has," Venelana added. "We hoped the council hasn't kept you too busy."

"Nothing of the sort. But I had missed home and am glad to be able to spend time with both of you," the Lucifer replied with a warm smile.

It was then that Grayfia made her way in and bowed to the three devils.

"Lord and Lady Gremory, there is someone who wishes to speak with you. Yourself as well, my Lord," she said before raising her head.

The three devils in turn were confused by the request. "Who is it, Grayfia?" Sirzechs asked.

"It is the heir of the Bael's, my Lord," the silverette replied.

"Sairaorg? What does he want?" Sirzechs asked aloud to himself. He looked to his parents to see them confused as well.

"Grayfia, please bring him to us," Zeoticus said.

"Hai, Lord Gremory."

It was but a few minutes that the maid had returned with the young Bael in tow. He had a serious look on his face, one that alerted the Gremory that the sudden interruption wasn't a warm and welcomed one.

"Sairaorg Bael, what brings you to our humble home?" Zeoticus asked.

The heir walked up and bowed, making sure he was formal before anything else. "Lord and Lady Gremory, and Lord Lucifer, I have come to speak with you about one of my pieces," he answered. It only perplexed the family more.

"Your pieces?" Sirzechs repeated.

"Yes. It is my pawn, Issei Hyoudou," he replied. The family's eyes widened and it made the boy shake his head. "That reaction has led me to believe Rias didn't tell you."

"No, we didn't know of such a thing," Venelana answered.

"I see. Well then, allow me to fill you in," the Bael stated. "After the duel between Issei and Raiser Phenex, I spoke of the pawn with high regard to his former King. There was some back and forth before I offered her the idea of a trade. And she jumped on it instantly."

"What? But why would she? Sirzechs told us she held Issei Hyoudou in high regard," Zeoticus said.

"That's just it, your daughter has done quite a few things revolving around Issei," Sairaorg cryptically stated.

"What has she done?" Sirzechs asked. The other two devils seem equally interested. Hell, Sairaorg could feel Grayfia's curiosity behind him.

"I shall tell you. But I must start with how she even attained Issei in the first place."

 **Boom, there it is. Done and in the books.**

 **I'll continue to work had on it and hope you guys will continue to enjoy it. Hope to hear you all soon and it's good to be back.**


	8. Act II: Life IV

**Hey everyone. Like I said this chapter came out much sooner, yay.**

 **First thing, I wanna say is I've done a tiny time skip. Just a few days to get to the nitty gritty. And the reason being Issei. His growth is staggering for a good reason and I just feel doing this will skip some filthy filler we all hate and keep to the plot. So, just know that.**

"Issei, he's moving towards you! I've got the lamia, take him out!"

"I'm on it!"

Issei, Kuisha, and Ladora had been chasing the Stray devil for a few days. The first two nights were exhausting as the trio fought and avoided many traps the rogue had in place. Trap doors, monster pits, rigged buildings, and even a giant mouse trap. Why, they didn't know.

And on this night, thinking they finally had him cornered, the three devils found themselves fighting the remaining peerage members who were defending the S-class they had been searching for.

It had been tough battle after tough battle but once they defeated the last knight all that was left was the former queen of the deceased Dantalion heir.

The Stray ran around the corner, Issei already there with his fist cocked back.

"You're mine!"

The stray ducked underneath the strike, Issei burying his hand into the wall. Dust flew and blinded the brunette, forcing him to rub his eyes of the invading particles.

The stray turned back, looking to get a free shot at the pawn. He pulled out a small dagger, aiming to end the boy's life quickly.

Issei pulled his arm out the wall just before the devil could reach him. He quickly parried the dagger and landed a strong right hook to the man's cheek, sending him flying into the next room. Through the wall, of course. He stepped through the hole, hoping to capture the stray this time.

Just as he did, he was met with a hard kick to the abdomen, sending he back into the hallway and into a mirror. Glass shards flew, a few scraping him as they fell to the floor.

The stray grabbed a large, sharp piece and leapt at the pawn. Issei regained himself just in time to stop the shard from stabbing him in the throat. The fellow devil tried his hardest to kill the brunette with his makeshift weapon but the item wouldn't budge against Issei.

They pushed back and forth, fighting for life and death. The weapon didn't move an inch between the two, both sweating and exhausted from the original long chase.

 _'Ddraig, I could use a little extra power..'_

 _ **[Boost]**_

The sacred gear responded to its partner's wishes and Issei felt his strength increase.

He moved his feet against the stray's chest and kicked with all his power. The force sent the devil straight up and slammed him against the ceiling before he fell back onto the floor, face first.

The devil tried to rise and reached for the shard once more. Issei was quick though and rolled to his feet. He ran forward and kicked the weapon away, also knocking the stray in the side of his head.

He then leapt on him, twisting both his arms around his back, holding him there in restraint.

"Gotcha, ya bastard!" The brunette yelled victoriously.

"You putrid devil," he choked out. "Let me go this instant or I'll make you pay."

"Okay, first, you're in no place to make threats. Second, kind of ironic for you to say that when you're a devil too..." Issei stated.

Kuisha walked in, dragging the corpse of a large snakewoman. A lamia, so to speak. She tossed it next to the stray and his eyes widened at the sight.

"You bitch! I'll kill you where you stand!

"Stray Devil Borg, this is the end for you. You poisoned and killed your master before fleeing to the human world. There is nothing left for you but to accept your fate." Keisha had that rare and serious look that Issei had rarely seen. She could be quite scary and, if he was to be honest, very sexy when she got like that.

"You think this is enough to defeat me? You've only sealed your fate when you brought the body to me," Borg growled before he clicked his teeth.

The lamia's body began to glow and expand as an orange-yellowish light could be see in its gut. The pawn and queen's eyes widened as the light filled the room within seconds.

"Kui!" Issei yelled as he released the stray and tackled the blonde out of the way.

 _ **KAAABOOOOOM**_

The explosion rocked the building and took out the floor the trio where on. Issei held onto Kuisha as they fell to the next, slamming on an old wardrobe that shattered from their combine weight.

The Stray had fallen and landed hard on the second floor. But he was still able to recover and pick himself up before running off.

Kuisha quickly rose, looking down towards Issei. "Ise, are you alright?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah, dammit that stings..." He murmured, holding his shoulder.

Slowly he sat up, Kuisha knealing to help with his wound. As she did that, she called their third.

"Ladora, the target is moving towards the south exit. Make sure he doesn't get far," she ordered with authority.

 _"No problem. He's in my sight, moving towards the abandon factory,"_ the rook replied.

"Alright. We're on our way."

Once she cut the line, she turned her attention back to the pawn. Kuisha could see his singed clothes and light burns. He looked tired and she could tell he used a good amount of energy.

She knew he'd be fine but it bothered her a bit. At that moment she had relaxed her guard and he ended up paying the price. He was quick to react better than her.

She was tired herself and that lamia took a great deal to defeat but she was use to that type of thing. And yet Issei was the one who seemed more experience and possibly saved her from getting hurt, if not killed.

"Issei, you didn't have to do that."

"The body was closer to you. Who knows what could have happened if I didn't" he replied quickly. She couldn't see his face but, just from his voice, knew he was serious.

"But you got hurt because of me."

"I'll live. All that training with Ladora and Gandoma wasn't so I couldn't take hits." Issei looked over towards her and smiled warmly. It made Kuisha pause for the moment and she felt her cheeks grow a little warmer. And she realized that Issei's rapid growth wasn't just physically, but mentally as well.

"You're very important in this mission and the last thing I'd want to see is one of my teammates get killed."

"...Issei..."

 _"Kuisha."_ Ladora's voice boomed, loud enough to break her from her moment.

"Go ahead Ladora."

 _"He's entered the factory. I've lost sight of him."_

"No worries. We're on our way now. Just hover above and make sure he doesn't slip away."

 _"Yes ma'am."_

She cut the connection once more. "Issei, let's go. He's not getting away."

"Right!"

-XOXOXOXOX-

Once inside, he released a huge sigh of relief. Looking at himself, the devil could see he was at his end. He was panting hard, there were a few specks of dried blood across his tattered clothes. He had a couple of burn marks, and he couldnt help but limp when he put pressure on his left leg.

"Looks like I barely got away. That girl killed my familiar and that boy was better than I thought. Hn, nothing to do now but leave this town and start anew." He tapped his side, feeling the wet pouch that a pack of liquids had been shattered. "What a waste. This was the only place to get such potions and they had to ruin it. Damn the council for sending these devils after me. In the angels territory nonetheless."

Borg continued through the facility, looking around. It was a building next to an old oil liner, condemned and out of work for some time. Perhaps they had sucked it dry and decided to move on. But the company had left a surplus amount of drums behind, leaving the Stray to take slow steps, lest he slip and fall in the few messy puddles.

"Odd for them to leave so much."

Suddenly, the loud creak of a door caught his attention. The Stray's thoughts would have to wait as the noise had come from the way he just entered. He tried to look for another escape but saw none. He was still recovering from his fight with the boy and the makeshift explosion he used drained the last bit of his demonic energy.

It seemed like he would have to fight. But with little to no power left, he might as well be a dead man.

Borg then realized, and his eyes widened. He looked around at all the oil filled drums, seeing a few ooze out tge flammable liquid. A sickening grin spread across his face as an idea sprung in his mind. He hid amongst them and began to move about, ready to enact his plan.

-XOXOXOXOX-

Kuisha, Issei, and Ladora entered from the main door of the factory. Seeing how large it was, the amount of places the Stray could hide was vast.

"We'll have to spread out and cover more ground," Kuisha stated.

""Right."" The two males agreed.

Fanning out, the trio searched for the Stray. Kuisha looked behind old mining equipment, Ladora searched through a few offices, and Issei slowly made his way through the supplies of oil.

The brunette made his way to the middle of it, where there was an old steel container that was probably used to store the oil inside. He climbed on top of it, hopping to get a better viewpoint and spot the devil.

"Ddraig, you ready?"

 _ **[As always.]**_

 _ **[Flash!]**_

The room lit up, allowing Issei to see everything around him. The place was filled with oil drums surrounding him. It was actually scary seeing the large multitude of them. And all of them were surrounding the container in a ring.

"If all of them were to be lit..." Issei muttered to himself as his flash died down. He still was unable to find the Stray.

It didn't fall upon deaf ears as a voice behind him said, "Ah yes, I wonder what would happen."

Issei shot around, throwing a punch, but was met with a block. Borg grinned as he wrapped his arm around Issei's and pulled the brunette in close.

"Lets lighten this place up. _**Ignite!**_ "

At the order, the barrels exploded as fire raged from within them. Shrapnel flew and embedded itself within everything it could touch. Issei barely broke free and dodged the barrage that came towards him. He quickly turned to find Kuisha or Ladora. They were nowhere to be seen so he assumed they weren't in the blast radius.

"Hehe, don't worry about your friends. I had a few more friends who are taking great care of them."

"You bastard," Issei growled, turning back towards him.

"Say what you will, you devils should have left me alone."

"You killed your master and half of your comrades! And you didn't care when you left the other half to die! You're scum and I'm gonna make sure every last person's death is held accountable on your head!"

Issei was angry. Pissed. Furious. Outraged. And every other word of similar meaning. It was no longer a mission but a personal vendetta to him to make sure this guy paid for his crimes. Abandonment, betrayal, deceit, were all things this devil before him had done. And it was those same three things that led the pawn to where he was now.

The deceit and betrayal of Raynare. And the deceit, betrayal, and abandonment of Rias Gremory. It hurt him to his core, as he still had affections towards both women. And he wanted to prove both of them wrong and become the biggest mistake of their lives.

But first, he had to take care of the trash in front of him. And there was no type of affection towards him.

"You're gonna pay..." Issei growled. His eyes flashed green. It was so fast that Borg didn't even see it. All he saw was the flames from around them dancing in his eyes. And he was ready for it.

"Well come on then."

The two charged each other, meeting in the middle of the container. The fire continued to burn, growing stronger as if it grew excited for the epic battle. Raging in anticipation for the one that may be fed to it. Impatiently expanding as it hungered for chaos and destruction.

 _ **[Boost!]**_

Issei landed a hard right hook to the Strays cheek, Borg following with one of his own. Issei ducked and swept his legs from underneath him before landing an axe kick into his gut.

Borg's eyes widened as spit and blood flew out of his mouth. Issei had risen and was attempting to punch him. But he rolled left to dodge the first and he blocked the second before rolling backwards onto his feet.

Issei jumped for a Spartan kick but Borg sidestepped the attack and grabbed his leg. Thinking on his feet, the brunette spun and swung his other leg for the devils head. The Stray blocked the attack before throwing his elbow down into Issei's gut. Or, almost, as Issei grabbed it and used the advantage to pull himself up and headbutt Borg.

The rogue dropped him and the pawn quickly scrambled up, ready to go again.

"You have no right for those other people to call you their comrades. You lied to them, betrayed their trust, and for what? To save your own ass!?"

"You know nothing pawn. Those devil heirs shouldn't be trusted," Borg stated.

Issei paused momentarily, staring at the former queen. "What do you mean?"

"Hehe, you're pretty stupid not to notice," the rogue chuckled. "To those heirs, we're nothing more than the chess pieces we are reincarnated from. Easily tradable and easily disposable."

Issei had a quick flash of Rias. He felt himself grow a bit depressed and his eyes glazed over as the past resurfaced once more. And Borg could see it all over his face.

"Ah, I see. You've experienced it. You were traded and its caused you to enter this state of doubt. You don't know if you can truly trust someone ever again. Yes, that's it."

"..."

 _ **[Issei, don't listen to him,]** _Ddraig spoke up, feeling his partner's distress.

"..."

"If its happened once, it'll happen again."

 _ **[Issei...]**_

"You'll either be traded or let go."

 _ **[That boy took you in when the Gremory girl turned against you!**_ _ **]**_

"Never truly able to find your place in the universe."

 _ **[He gave you a place to call home!]**_

"All to then be left to fend for yourself. Just as I had to when I took a stand."

 _ **[He gave you people who you can call comrades. Friends!]**_

Issei stood there quiet, his fist clenched and his head low. He didn't move for a few seconds. Those few seconds Borg took to call forth the fire around them and send them towards the brunette.

"Don't worry, I'll help and make sure that won't happen."

 _ **[Issei!]**_

...

The boy dodged the attack at the last second. He charged silently and cocked his fist back for a hard right hook. Borg was surprised but readied himself for the strike.

As Issei landed the punch, he clenched his jaw as the counterattack from the rogue landed in the form of an uppercut. But he quickly grabbed the fellow devil's fist in the moment and wrapped his legs around his enemies shoulders. He then twisted his weight, flipping both of them, and slammed Borg onto his back.

The rogue let out a cry of pain as the pawn placed him in an arm bar. And his cry turned to a scream as Issei pulled back, putting heavy pressure on the joint.

"Gah, dammit! _**Surge**_!" Borg cried as he held his hand out towards the fire.

It flew straight towards Issei, forcing him to release the hold and dodge the torrent of flames.

He then noticed the rogue release it and clutch his arm in pain. Exactly where the fire had touched him.

"His Sacred Gear doesn't grant him immunity to the flames."

Issei then came up with a quick idea and raised his Boosted Gear.

 _'Ddraig.'_

 _ **[Yes, partner?]**_

 _'Thanks for that. I needed the reminder. The past is the past, and I'm happy where I am right now.'_

 ** _[Glad to see you've come to your senses.]_**

Issei charged, the gauntlet shining as he did so. Borg, at the same time, called forth more flames before throwing them forward.

 _ **[Flash].** _The gauntlet announced as the bright green light shined throughout the entire room.

Borg was immediately blinded and covered his eyes from the blinding light. The flames dropped and Issei continued forward.

By the time the light died, Issei was right above the devil, his fists clasped together above his head.

The former queen, in a panic, summoned forth as much fire as he could. A large wave of fire appeared on both sides, ready to encase both of them and finally end this fight.

But, as if faith had different ideas, a large shadow appeared from behind the fire. Then, with a burst of wind, Ladora burst through in his full dragon form.

Issei felt two large claws grab him by the shoulder and pull him out of the fire just before it collapsed on him. The pawn knew the rook was there and baited the Stray to make the risky move of trying to take both of them out. He expelled the last of his energy and harmed only himself, all due to his carelessness and lack of comrades around him. His former peerage members, his familiar, and even himself, all done in by his own selfishness.

However, he needed to make sure the devil stayed down, for good. So he opened his gauntlet-clad fist, the original red ball appearing from within.

"I trusted in my friends, bitch. _**Dragon Shot!"**_

 _ **DOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN**_

The attack rocked the foundation of the building and destroyed a large portion of the factory. It left nothing in its wake and all that was left was the smoke and gravel the blast had caused.

It wasn't long after that Ladora dropped Issei in a field, not too far off from the factory. Kuisha was already waiting, a small smile on her face. But it didn't look all too happy. And it wasn't long before a humanized Ladora landed next to them.

"Issei, you're an idiot," Kuisha said first.

"I know, I know. I'm just glad Ddraig got the message to you two in time."

""I've got this. No worries", huh? That's just gonna make me worry even more, idiot."

The queen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the brunette, bringing him in a tight embrace. Issei, in turn, was shocked and stiffened up in the show of affection. It was almost like the way Rias hugged him, but it was warmer and eased him.

"I trusted you would be okay. But that won't ever stop me from worrying about you."

"...Kui-chi..."

Then, in a whisp of the wind the devils stiffened immediately. Holy energy had entered the area and it was directly behind them. How they hadnt noticed till now put them on high alert, seeing how they had erected a barrier to conceal all that transpired. They turned to find out who this mystery holy being was and how they found them.

When Kuisha and Issei's eyes landed on the person, they widened considerably. And the duo felt their hearts jump up into their throats.

"Hey Issei, Kuisha, glad to see you're doing alright. Been a few days."

""Dulio!""

The trio became defensive but they were stopped when the older blonde held up his hands nonthreateningly.

"Woah, woah, I'm not here to fight. I actually need your help..."

Kuisha quickly stepped forward, standing in front of the rook and pawn. She was the leader and she had to protect those two despite the fact she wasnt at one hundred percent either. They worked the hardest and needed rest.

"Our help? You're and exorcist, are you not? And how did you find us?"

"So you knew? Then that means I was correct that you are devils. And its a secret I can't tell you."

Kuisha narrowed her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was face the exorcist. Especially since they were still in the angel's territory.

"We are devil's. And we are sorry we had to decieve you but we had a mission."

"No worries, I thank you for getting rid of that Stray. Less work for me. I'm actually just gonna get straight to the point, Irina and Xenovia need you."

This made the trio of devils pause. Issei's eyes widened at the mention of Irina and that she needed help. Was she hurt, lost, or possibly dead?

"...Excuse me?" Kuisha questioned in the brunette's stead.

"They need you. They are in danger in Kuoh. And I fear the situation is much more than what I could have imagined for them."

"Why can't you go? They are apart of your faction."

"I wish I could. But it could be seen as an act of war. You are devils, its your territory. You three going can just be waved off as defensive measures."

They had to admit, that did sound logical. But what was so bad that a human going to Kuoh could be seen as an act of war? Besides the fact he was an exorcist it was common of them to show up and be gone. So what could be such a trigger?

"What's so bad that requires us to go instead of you?" Issei asked, stepping past Kuisha.

"Ise...?" He looked back at her with reassurance.

Despite it being Kuoh, he had to go. Irina was in danger, and as much as he wanted to forget, Rias was too. And he had to help them.

"A fallen angel leader has attacked. And he plans to destroy the city with everyone inside."

 **And we're here at the end. I was a bit rushy but I enjoyed this chapter. I pushed Issei's character to a little more maturity as well as given you a glance at his power. The reason I held it was for a bigger stage with bigger stakes. Chasing a Stray is fine but with what I have planned for our little pervert, I need a much bigger opponent for him. And I feel Kokabiel can fit that bill.**

 **Don't have much to say but I do gope you enjoyed. And ill try to get the next chapter out before the week is out.**

 **oh, and for those asking about the whole language thing, I'm going to have everyone learn the actual languages simply as a way to push Issei's intelligence. In a way .Kind of give him another bonus towards Sairoarg thinking of Issei rather than himself .**

 **Later**


	9. Act II: Life V

**Finally. After another piece of time I bring you one of the biggest chapters in my story. Not so much word wise but in my big plot .So I shall say very little and let it go on .But I first like to say to all those who question why I did this, why I brought Issei back here, it is for two importsnt pieces. Ones that will be displayed in this chapter. So enjoy.**

Kokabiel was many things. A war monger, a mad man, a bloodthirsty fool, a conniving bottomfeeder, and a guy you couldn't take out into the sun. He was a man of the old ways and a guy who wanted nothing more than to kill off anyone who stood in his way. Even if that meant his own kind.

The dark elf-ish based leader, in his time of planning, had many things on his mind. Taking over the Grigori. Gaining his last pair of wings. Becoming the strongest angel in history. And the biggest of all; starting a war. But not just any war, a Great War. Much like the one he participated in to become a leader of the Grigori.

His despise of angels and devils was massive. Much larger than any other being as he dreamnt of killing off both races each and every day. And he hated his superior, Azazel, because he did not share in the ideal. And, if his plan continued the way he wanted, it would all soon come to fruition.

The crazed fallen was currently in the city known as Kuoh. A quaint little place with not much to offer besides a few good schools and a high job rate. Of course, that was only in the eyes of the humans.

In the supernatural, it was a much different story. This town was of high importance as it held the heirs to both the Gremory and Sitri clans. Both of which attended the prestigious high school that only some of the best attended. It was a devils den, housing those directly associated to the leaders of the Underworld.

And yet, it was unguarded and Kokabiel had the easiest time getting in. And the easiest time finding the heirs.

"Rias Gremory, you remind me much of your older brother," were his first words upon his arrival.

Ones that drew the ire of the redheaded heiress. Unknowing of his reasons behind his invasion Rias gave the order to protect Kuoh from the battle hungry beast that was Kokabiel. Of all people, she hadn't expected the cause of the recent events to be a leader of the fallen.

"You will not harm the civilians of this town, Kokabiel. They are under my protection," was her response.

But it was met only with a wicked cackle from the pale man. One so dry and dark that it sent shivers down the spine of everyone who heard it. Including Sona and her peerage, who erected a barrier around Kuoh Academy, encasing all the devils and the fallen leader inside.

"Do you think that is a promise you can keep? I could destroy this town with ease and kill you in the process. You are nothing!"

His words only angered her more as her insignificance to the angel struck her pride. And boy was she prideful. Too much to the point it blinded her and Akeno had to call Sirzechs for help.

The Gremory heiress ordered her peerage to attack and while they tried their hardest they were utterly defeated.

The one known as Freed Sellzen, an excommunicated exorcist, took care of Kiba, Xenovia, and Irina with three Excalibur fragments combined into one. A gift given by a man known as Valper Galilei, a former priest and accomplice to Kokabiel.

And despite that amount of power, the angel brought one more card to assure the complete defeat of the heirs and their peerages. The guard of the Gates of Hell, the three headed hellhound, Cerberus.

It was an utter defeat from the start. And while Rias tried to hold on, her and her peerage could do nothing against the overwhelming force. Not even with the help of the two exorcists.

Asia had passed out from the fallen angel's exclaim that God was dead. Akeno and Koneko weren't much better, standing on both sides of their King, barely able to stand on their feet. Xenovia and Irina were only on their feet with the help of their swords. Kiba was trying to hold off Freed with the new development of his Sacred Gear. And her two pawns, Murayama and Katase were barely able to hold off the hellhound.

It was a losing battle.

"Hahaha, you have all been amusing! I have actually found myself very entertained!" Kokabiel spoke from his floating throne. He didn't even need to step in. His servants had defeated them with such ease it was laughable. And boy, was he just tickled.

"The sister of a Devil King. Lucifer, for that matter. Defeated by mere humans and the dog Cerberus. My, what a disgrace, hahahaha!"

"You won't get away with this Kokabiel. Another Great War will be the downfall of us all," Rias said, exhausted from using all of her power.

"Hmm, maybe for you. But as the future leader of the fallen angels, I'll be sure there's no one who stands in our way. For we are the superior race to you disgusting devils."

"You're a madman..." Akeno muttered, dropping to one knee as she clutched her left arm with the other.

"Silence, daughter of Baraqiel. Perhaps I'll take you on as a concubine and use you before your father before I slit his throat, mwuhaha." The evil cackle reigned throughout the entire schoolground, sending a chill down all of the devils spines.

"Today is a new day! The age of the-"

Suddenly, there was a flicker of lights, silencing the leader's proclamation. The entire space inside of the barrier seemed to have dimmed momentarily, as if the light in the area was a broken lightbulb. It brought forth everyone's attention as they looked around, confused as to what could have caused such a disturbance.

Then a portal appeared between both sides. It seemed like more of a slit in the very space before it expanded, wide enough for multiple people at once. Its deep spacial violet entranced those who saw it and their breath were momentarily caught in their throats.

"What is this? Valper, is this your doing?" Kokabiel asked the husky ex-priest.

"No, Kokabiel-sama! I have no idea what it is!" He replied. Kokabiel narrowed his eyes, curious as to who or what it could be opening such a thing. He hadn't seen such a rift before, no traces of holy or demonic energy coming from it. And it didn't seem like reinforcements for the devils because they looked equally confused.

"Rias..." Akeno called to her King. The redhead stood silent, watching just as everyone else. All with batted breaths as the newcomers slowly stepped out.

"Kui-chi, can you back up Kiba and take out that psycho?" Issei asked as he touched the school ground for the first time in, what seemed like, a long time, maybe a month or so. He had lost track seeing as devils had a different time was different from humans.

"He's not a problem at all," the blonde queen replied.

"Ladora, eliminate that mutt and make sure no one else gets hurt," the brunette further order.

"Not a problem," he replied.

"Good. And I'll take care of bird brains here who thinks he's all that."

"Oho, a new challenger?" Kokabiel questioned with a smirk. He could feel the power from the new arrivals, and they were much more of a match than the others. He was even more excited.

Issei rose his fist at the Cadre level angel. "You're damn right! And I'm gonna kick your ass!" Issei announced loud enough for everyone.

 **[Boost!]** The red gauntlet appeared, the green gem shining from the usual call. It brimmed with power as it felt Issei's emotions. Gold letters, not in any human or devil language, appeared across it, shining brightly as it powered up.

"Ah, the famed Boosted Gear. One of the thirteen Longinus," Kokabiel marveled. He could feel the energy radiating and, had to admit, it was large. He felt adrenaline pulsing at the chance to fight the dragon of domination. The inevitability of his fight with the brunette made him slightly twitchy.

 **[Boost!]**

As this was happening, the devils all around were shocked by the trios arrival. Who had sent them, Sirzechs, Serafall, or possibly Sairaorg? No, there was still time before Sirzechs and Serafall. So was it her cousin? Had he somehow known?

Issei took the moment to glance back. Surveying the area, he saw utter defeat. How his former peerage had failed miserably at defeating the enemy. And how the two exorcists were unable to tip the battle in their favor.

It was all a complete loss. They looked beaten, worn, and out of time. That was something he couldn't afford.

The pawn's eyes landed on Asia's unconscious form and the severely weakened state of Irina's. The latter catching his gaze.

 **[Boost!]**

For that moment, he saw hope in her eyes. Relief that he was there, albeit slight confusion on how. But more so he was glad she was relatively okay at the moment. And he couldn't help the fuel that she and Asia had given him. He wanted to do nothing more than protect the them. More than ever before.

Then his eyes landed on Rias. She wasn't the same as when he left. She wasn't the prestigious woman he knew in that moment. She was battered, beaten, and just about broken as the pride and confidence she usually exerted was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't the same woman he strived to stand beside. No, she seemed like a different person upon the battlefield.

Not like the fights with Raiser or against Raynare. This was an act of war, something no sane person wished upon another.

 **[Boost!]**

"Issei..." He heard her mutter. It was low but was loud enough for him to hear clearly. It was desperate, hopeful, and dare he say, dull.

He longed for her to say his name, happy to have him back. But now, it was lost and void. He felt nothing from it, no fulfilment, no satisfaction. All he felt was this dryness that didn't make his hard work feel like it was worth it.

No, wait, it was definitely worth it. So why did he feel so empty?

Now that he looked at her, finding her in such a state, why did he feel unfulfilled? As if his goal hasn't mattered?

 **[Boost!]**

Why?

Issei couldn't dwell on it. He had stalled and was lucky that the leader had given him all this time to power up and take note of the situation. For now, he needed to focus on defeating Kokabiel. Then he would deal with these new thoughts later.

So, with a clear head he rose his gauntlet above his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.

"Alright. Lets do this!"

 _ **[Flash!]**_

Kokabiel shielded his eyes just before the bright light was able to momentarily blind him.

-XOXOXOXOX-

Sairaorg sat at his desk. He was doing some paperwork before he put his pen down and sat back in his seat. He had been feeling strange these past few hours. There wasn't an emotion to really describe it but he had this nagging feeling of future events. As if something was warning him.

But what could it be?

The heir wanted to figure out what but it was hard with no basis to work off of. All he could tell was that the connection to Kuisha, Ladora, and Issei were the source of it.

The connection would give signs of their emotions and of their presence. There were times that he couldn't sense them through the connection, which was normal as barriers could block such things. So, now that it has faded once more he was to assume they had re-entered a barrier or had entered a new one.

With little to go by, Sairaorg would simply have to wait until they returned to get more information. Hopefully positivity and growth in the bonds of his family.

The heir returned the pen to his hand and continued his report. With the latest news spreading of the Red Dragon Emperor being traded from the house where servants were treated as family, many devils thought he was on the market.

News had spread fast of Rias's blunder and her parents, nor her brother, were all too thrilled about that. Especially since they saw Issei as a future son/brother-in-law.

-XOXOXOXOX-

 _"We had no idea. How long has he been apart of your peerage?"_

 _"It has been over a month, Lord Gremory. I'm sorry you had to find out about the situation this way. I expected Rias would have told you much sooner," Sairaorg replied, bowing his head in respect._

 _"No, thank you Sairaorg. If it has been this long, who knows when Rias would have told us, Venelana spoke._

 _"I'm to assume Issei left an impression?"_

 _"Yes. The fight with Raiser showed us how much Rias meant to Issei. Not as a servant to his master, but as a boy to a girl. And we thought Rias felt the same," Zeoticus explained._

 _"Yes, I had thought so too. But it seems she had only been using him to get out of her marriage. A dark ending to such a bright boy."_

 _"How is Issei doing?" Sirzechs asked._

 _Sairaorg smiled for the first time._

 _"Issei is doing very well. The one you saw before is only a small fraction of what he has become."_

 _The trio of devils looked at the heir with curiosity. Just the thought of Issei growing stronger tugged at the tendencies they were given as devils. Curiosity made them lean in slightly, wanting to hear of the red dragon's progress._

 _"'A small fraction' after only such a short time?"_

 _Sairaorg nodded. "That is correct. Under my training, Issei has made tremendous progress. The former boy from the engagement party, the one who claimed your daughter's virginity and sacrificed his arm, has been replaced by a man."_

 _"What does that mean Sairaorg? ...Is it possible? Are you saying Issei has achieved Balance Breaker?" Sirzechs asked with a slightly tightened grip._

 _The heir chuckled. "As much as I'd like to say yes, no, he hasn't. But he is very close."_

 _This made the trio edge closer. And as Sairaorg returned to his thoughts, his smile faded._

 _"The strife, the anguish, the sadness, and the betrayal, all have pushed Issei to this point. And I know that he won't stop here, not while the weight is on his shoulders and the pressure is surrounding him," the Bael said softly._

 _The others looked at him confused. "What do you mean, Sairaorg?"_

 _"Rias..." He stated. It only confused them more so he elaborated. "Issei still pushes himself for her. All of you know he sacrificed his arm because he loved her and would do anything for her. So, when she traded him it must have felt like the worst pain possible. Much worse than when that fallen had seduced and attacked him." He took a breath, calming himself and feeling his clenched fist unwind slowly. "Now, he trains to prove himself to her. To show he wasn't a one and done and that he can still protect her. That once he's powerful enough, she'll finally recognize him."_

 _Sairaorg closed his eyes and took a slow breath. "And I've seen the look in his eyes. The fire that drives him to become 'enough'."_

 _The family leaned in closer. They were on the edge of their seats, raptured by the Bael's words. Their curiosity was at its peak._

 _"It is only a matter of time before he unlocks Balance Breaker. And, I dare say, that the reason for it will involve Rias."_

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Yes! Now this is more like it!"

Kokabiel hadn't felt such a rush in quite some time. His heart was racing, the adrenaline was pumping, and he felt alive again. He couldn't contain himself as he practically exploded in bloodthirsty ecstasy as he traded blows with Issei.

The leader had lost track of how many boosts the boy had but the more the word echoed the more excited he became. Each punch grew stronger, each kick felt more devastating, and when they headbutted, the feeling of his own blood pouring down his face made him that much more enthralled.

"Boy, you have proven yourself greatly to me! You are much more of an asset than that excommunicated priest and exorcist! You must join me and together we shall conquer the world," he said as he dodged a punch and returned one of his own.

Issei parried the blow before throwing a kick to the fallen's head. It was blocked and they pushed away. "Fat chance you gothic creep. My friends mean more than anything you have to offer!"

Issei charged again and cocked his fist for a superman punch. Kokabiel sidestepped the attack and called forth a lightspear. As Issei flew past him, the angel jabbed the spear for the boy's legs but was met with the gauntlet grabbing the tip. Kokabiel looked up to see the brunette had twisted his body backwards to block the spear.

As he did this, Issei continued to his momentum and brought his leg down for a powerful axe kick. He shattered the light spear in his grip and threw a fragment at the fallen leader forcing him to dodge one or the other.

Shifting his weight, Kokabiel leaned back from the shard but also had to catch the axe kick before it could land. It was simple for him but he hadnt left the sequence unscathed. He learned that when more of his blood leaked down his cheek and dripped off his chin.

The Cadre didn't lose his shit eating grin as he used his free hand to wipe the blood. "Oh please, everyone has a price. The real question is what is yours... Is it money, women, and endless line of sacrifices? They are all merely a taste of what our future can be if we team up Red Dragon."

 **[Boost!]**

Issei clenched his fists. He looked back at his friends to still see them recovering. Ladora had easily defeated Cerberus and sent the beast back to hell. Kuisha had also disposed of Freed, now helping in the recovery of the others.

The others were disarrayed due to the shockwaves of his fight. But none of them looked any worse than when he first arrived.

The boy's eyes then landed on Irina and Asia. They were being helped by the blonde queen and Issei took a moment to really think about how much they meant to him.

His childhood friend, who he was thankful to be reunited with. The girl he couldn't save but was happy to have by his side once again. And the woman who had helped him feel like he finally belonged and that he could call family.

He closed his eyes and felt a burning fire within. Something he felt only once when he had realized his loss to Raiser. The same feeling when he crashed the engagement party to save Rias. The same feeling when he claimed her virginity. The same feeling when he sworn to protect her no matter what. The same feeling when...he let go.

Issei turned to the one he use to call his King. The one who gave him a second chance. The one who was his savior and love of his short life. The one who kissed him before trading him and breaking his heart. The one who he swore he would make them regret.

There was a dull feeling there. The awe on her face didn't give him what he wanted. But when he looked back at the others, the sight of Asia alive and safe, the sight of Irina well and hopeful for him, the sight of Kuisha confident and supportive of him. It filled him with power. It filled him with satisfaction. It made him feel stronger. It made him feel whole. And it drove him to want to protect them at all costs.

 ** _[So you've finally realized it partner...]_**

 _'Ddraig, what do you mean?'_

 _ **[Your goal to show off to that girl and make her feel regret, that wasn't the goal you should have sought after. It was the same goal that you've had all along since the day that blonde nun died in your arms.]**_

Issei took the moment to think. And it clicked just seconds later. To which Ddraig felt and responded to.

 _ **[Exactly. You still hold some piece of the old you that wanted to be strong enough to protect those you cared about. The nun, the exorcist, Kuisha, doesn't matter. They mean something to you.]**_

Issei lowered his head, his hair shadowing his eyes. He felt stupid. Very stupid.

 **[Boost!]**

 _'You're right...'_ All this time, his goal was to show off to Rias. Make her feel some type of guilt or regret for trading him.

 **[Boost!]**

 _'I shouldn't have had such a selfish goal...'_ That wasn't who he was. It wasn't what made him Issei Hyoudou.

 **[Boost!] [Boost!]**

 _'All this time I worked my ass of just to prove one person wrong.'_ His dream was to be a Harem King and protect his loved ones.

 **[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]**

 _'Seems I still have growing to do. Thanks Ddraig, I think I finally got what you've been trying to tell me this entire time.'_

 ** _[Finally, you moron. Now show this Cadre what its like to face the Dragon of Domination!]_**

"Right!"

 **[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]**

Kokabiel felt himself back away just an inch from the sudden surge of new power. His eyes widened in shock as he realised what was happening.

Issei's eyes shot open, now a solid green. The gem on the Boosted Gear glowed brightly, the yellow insignias gleaming brighter than before. Inside of the green gem the symbol of a dragon appeared within it before a burst of energy exploded from it, surrounding Issei in a tornado of raw power. The wind whipped about and the ground was carved and lifted up from the energy, the school grounds shaking from the large exertion of power.

 ** _[Welsh Dragon Overbooster! Balance Breaker!]_**

The call sounded throughout the entire courtyard. The raw cylinder of draconic energy continued to tear up the ground and, if it continued, could possibly destroy the schoolyard. But before that could happen, a whisp of wind from the torrent of energy expelled the blast, leaving the boy, clad in his new armor.

Red armor plates, shaped as dragon scales, covered the boy from head to toe. Guantlets clad his hands and boots shaped as dragom claws covered his feet. A green gem sat on the back of his hands, as it did on the Boosted Gear, and another large green gem sat at the center of his chestplate. Finally, was the red helm. With bright green eyes, the scale mail was that of makeshift dragon armor. And the power radiating off it made it all the more dangerous looking.

Issei then expanded the draconic wings, flexing his new armor. He took in every detail and noticed how it was much more sharper and badass than his forced transformation over a month ago. He felt much stronger too.

 _ **[You've done it partner! You've achieved Balance Breaker!]** _Ddraig praised.

"Y-You're right... I did!" He shouted with triumph. But he remembered where he was and turned back to Kokabiel. The Cadre was exerting more power of his own. And he looked to have a mix of emotions. It was clear though as the leader displayed shock, excitement, and, above all, bloodthirst.

"Ahahaha, this is what I've been waiting for! You boy, you have exceeded every one of my expectations! You are truly one who must join me! What is your name!"

"Names Issei Hyoudou! And you can forget it Kokabiel. If anything, nows when I'm really gonna kick your ass!" Issei clashed his fists together and placed himself in his fighting stance. "So lets cut the chitchat and get back to beating the shit out of each other."

Kokabiel's grin grew. "Yes. Lets!"

 **Aalright, done and done. I leave it in another cliffhanger mwuhaha**

 _ **Issei's**_ **_Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Irina Shidou, and Roygun Belphagor_**

 **Alright, small change in the harem. I replaced Rossweisse with Irina .Reason being that Rossweisse won't appear to later and I probably won't have her start to develop feelings for him for quite some time. Irina, however, I can start to build towards and have happen much sooner. Simple as that.**

 **Leave a review and I'll see you all next time.**


	10. Act II: Life VI

**Hello all, I'm back with the next chapter. The one everyone is anticipating as its the conclusion to the big fight. Will Issei win, will Kokabiel win, who knows.**

 **First, before you guys read, I want you all to know that I'm thinking up a new story. Another kind of original idea that you probably wouldn't see anywhere else. The basis may follow what people of done before but the nitty gritty is of my own design.**

 **I'm thinking of two new Issei's and not fully sure which ill do.**

 **The first is Hero Faction Issei. I have ideas to who he'll be a descendant of, no spoilers, but he'll be as badass as can be from me.**

 **The second is demigod Issei. I have a few gods and goddesses in mind and this will also be a darker more badass Issei.**

 **Just pitching that this will be coming within the next week so keep your eyes out for it.**

 **Till then, enjoy the read.**

* * *

 **[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]**

"Scatter shot!" Issei shouted.

A plethora of green energy arrows bursted from the two guantlets, racing towards the fallen angel.

Kokabiel summoned a light spear before charging into the volley of attacks. He either dodged or deflected the attack as he neared the pawn. His grin had never disappeared as he enjoyed every second of the battle.

As the leader neared Issei rose his gauntlet and parried the attack before throwing a hard punch into the angel's gut. The older male keeled over but all that could be heard were his soft, maniacal laughs.

"Good...this is very good," he said as he lifted his head and looked Issei in his eyes. "I want to see more... Show me more of this power!"

Kokabiel summoned another light spear and began to stab and poke at Issei with both of his weapons. His expression looked like a madman's as his grin looked ready to tear his face in two.

Issei's expression couldn't be seen but he fought back, somehow keeping pace with the fallen leader. He either blocked or parried the attacks before returning with on of his own. He continued to feel his power grow but he could feel himself reaching his limit. He had to end this quickly before he reset.

 _ **[Dragon Shot!]**_

 **[Boost!]**

 _ **[Dragon Shot!]**_

 **[Boost! Boost!]**

Smoke enveloped the area as the two powerful beings continued to clash. A few attacks would land here and there but the duo didn't let up. Their warcries echoed throughout the entire field as they disappeared from sight. It was a spectacle as the very bursts of energy off each of their attacks would shoot out from the smoke cloud.

Yellow.

Green.

Yellow.

Green.

Yellow.

Green.

Everyone watching stared in awe at the fight above their heads. The sounds of clashing, blocks, parries, and endless fighting. It was like nothing they ever heard before. Not even Ladora had witnessed such a thing before.

Kuisha, however, had. But not like this. When she had, it was Sairaorg fighting to regain his status as an heir. But it was one sided against his brother.

This. This wasn't just some fight. It was a clash of ideals and of beliefs. Kokabiel believed that fallen angel's deserved to be superior to all. It wasn't good but it was his ideal nonetheless.

Issei... He was different. He was fighting to protect everyone and everything he cared for. She could see he wasn't fighting to prove something. He was finally fighting to help others and to keep all of them safe. He was fighting for them, not himself. He had ascended and reached the next level through sacrificing his original goal. It was why he achieved such a milestone and unlocked Balance Breaker.

Another explosion rocked the grounds and the cloud of smoke burst. Issei and Kokabiel had collided, the light spear and gauntlet clashed together in a fight of dominance.

Kokabiel grinned towards the boy. His robe was in tatters and he had a few bruises forming from the powerful blows he received. However, Issei sustained some damage as his armor was chipped and there was a chunk of armor missing with blood dripping from a wound.

"You have amazed me every step of the way, Issei Hyoudou. I must have you by my side, even if it means killing and reviving you as my slave," Kokabiel said.

"I thought I said no more talking," Issei replied from the helm.

"Reconsider my offer boy. All the money, women, and power can be yours. The information I received from Raynare said you were a fan of women with large breasts. I can give you women with the biggest you'll ever see! All you have to do is join me!"

The clash of dominance was broken by the brunette as he flung himself and the leader a few metres back. A pause soon followed, leaving every one stunned. Their focus was on Issei completely as he stayed completely still, looking to be in a deep thought.

"Think about it Issei Hyoudou. Women with the biggest breasts, all ready to please you whenever you desire," the older male continued to try and sway.

Everyone on the ground stared at Issei. Was he actually considering the idea? Was he going to betray them because he was promised women with large bosoms?

Kuisha, however, didn't believe it. She only waited for how the pawn would respond.

Issei's face mask disappeared in a light green glow. Everyone could see the look in his eyes and see a fire that was burning very bright. The devils of Kuoh had never seen such a burn in the boy before and the exorcists were in awe from the look. Even Kuisha and Ladora were taken aback from the new look in their friends eyes.

"Kokabiel, I am not the same from when Raynare killed me. Hell, I'm not even the same from when I first met you," Issei said with such dominance in his voice. "The old me from when I was apart of Rias's peerage may have taken the chance, may have. But now, you giving me such an offer...makes me only want to hit you harder."

Kokabiel's grin faltered. He could feel the aura radiating off of the boy and could tell the situation was starting to fall out of his favor. This boy, no, the dragon within him was starting to grow into an actual threat against the Cadre level angel. And the more he tried to persuade the teen, the more he angered the beast within it. He had to end this, before it was too late.

Issei, however, felt the angel's panic and was upon him the minute he smelt his fear. Kokabiel recoiled from the increase in speed. He could see the red dragon in the boy's eyes and knew he had played around for too long. He had to act now or lose everything he had worked so hard for.

Summoning his spear, he went for a quick attack.

Issei caught it with ease and pulled the angel forward. He grabbed him by the collar and looked deeply into his eyes. Red met the brunettes new greens and the angel cowered in fear.

"Oh, and now that I know that it was you who sent Raynare after me, I feel it right that you pay the same price as her."

The Cadre angel grit his teeth and had a panicked and angered expression. He released the spear and tried to gain some distance from the Sekiryuutei.

It wasn't long before the brunette was in his face again. This time he buried his foot into the angel's side as he launched him to the ground with a powerful kick. The air was sucked in like a vacuum before being expelled in a large burst that slammed the leader into a crater seconds later.

The entire group stared in awe at the new display of power. They looked from the crater back up to Issei who had a dangerous look in his eyes.

Kuisha looked on, worried for the pawn. That was when she felt a hand touch her shoulder and looked away to see Ladora as the source.

"What is it?" She asked. The rook looked at her with concern. But it wasn't directed at her. His gaze went up and she followed it to Issei.

"He's a dragon..." Was all the man said.

It took a moment for the queen to understand. At first it was confusion before she slowly realized what he meant. She shot back to him, her eyes wide and a look of disbelief on her face.

"You don't mean..." She trailed off. It was met with a nod and her disbelief turned to complete shock.

"He is like me now."

Kuisha shot back to look at Issei as he continued his fight with Kokabiel. She couldn't believe it and her eyes stayed wide as she watched the pawn beat around a ten winged fallen angel.

"Fast! How could you have exceeded me in speed!?"

Issei didn't say a word as he landed a hard punch to the leader's jaw, sending him flying. But it wasn't far before he followed up with an axe kick to the leader's gut.

He landed a hard blow to Kokabiel's abdomen. The very power made blood fly and splatter across Issei's face. But he didnt care.

"Gaaah!"

Kokabiel spat out bile as the pawn landed another powerful attack. He continued attacking without interference and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.

"Where is this power coming from? You were nothing more than a low-class devil!"

Another punch met Kokabiel's face. Everyone could see blood and teeth fly as the devil continued the assault.

Feathers flew from the attack and Issei made it a point to pull a few more.

Issei landed a kick to his jaw and sent him flying higher into the air. And he followed by using his jets to slam the angel into the top of the barrier, cracking it in several places.

Then, Issei released a warcry. It was a mix of his shout and the roar of a dragon that shook the group on the ground to the core. Even Sona and her peerage could feel it.

The boy grabbed the angel by his waist and proceeded to fall to the ground at extreme speeds in a German suplex with Kokabiel's head leading the way.

Yellow and green energies flowed in a spiral as the two began to spin in a tornado to the ground.

Once they hit, the very earth shook and the ground shattered from the impact.

Dust flew everywhere, effectively blinding anyone from seeing the outcome.

It was across the entire courtyard, covering the large field in billows as far as the eye could see. Trees were ripped from the ground and patches of grass were missing everywhere. Scorch marks could be seen, ash and soot in the air and on the ground.

There were no signs of either combatant. It was still quiet and no one uttered a single word as they watched and waited for the signs of either person.

No one had seen Issei enter such a mindset before. The look in his eyes and the way he carried himself, it wasn't what any of them expected of the pawn. He had changed.

Everyone in Kuoh only saw him as the perverted idiot who would eventually be arrested for sexual harassment. But now, even Katase and Murayama where blown away by the brunette.

Xenovia and Irina where shocked but for different reasons. The boy they thought they knew from the sweet shop wasn't like their original assumptions. Irina saw the difference in her childhood friend while Xenovia saw this strong guy who somehow went unnoticed by even her own teacher and the strongest exorcist.

Kuisha and Ladora were proud, very proud of the boy they considered family. Despite the odds he went toe to toe with a Cadre class fallen angel and actually had the being in retreat. They were concerned for him at the moment but the new display of powers and abilities that Issei demonstrated showed that he was growing very well and would surpass Sairaorg one day.

As the dust began to settle, everyone waited with batted breath. Did Issei somehow win the fight? Was Kokabiel still alive?

A figure could be seen from within the cloud. No one could tell who it was but the figure looked to move as it stepped slowly towards the group.

Everyone was defensive, thinking of the possibility that it might be Kokabiel. But the bright shine of green from the figure eased their worry.

Once the dust was completely settled, it showed Issei trudging towards the group. He looked worn out and battered, sustaining damage from his battle with the leader. His clothes were even more shredded than before, old wounds and new ones were open with small drips of blood. His body had bruises all across. And he was covered with sweat and dirt from the entire fight.

Issei was done. He had use the last of his power in that final display and it was a miracle he was able to move.

Kuisha smiled as she saw the brunette grow closer to her.

"Issei..."

She went to move towards him but her eyes widened when she noticed the person behind him.

"Issei!" She cried but it wasn't enough to alert the boy. A large yellow spear pierced the boy's stomach from behind and he let out a pained scream as he felt himself being burned from the inside out.

The pawn slowly turned his head and his eyes shot open when he saw the maniacal figure that was Kokabiel. Still standing and with a grin more malicious than ever.

"Excellent... Excellent! That was most extraordinary Issei Hyoudou! You actually had me worrying during that exchange!" Kokabiel said in absolute delight. "That heavy aura of the dragon, those devastating blows, and earth-shattering kicks, all of them were splendid. But you are millennials behind me."

"H-How..." Issei groaned before he coughed up blood. The light spear was eating up his insides, he had to get it out.

"Oh please, you must realize that even with the power of your dragon that I, a ten winged angel, would not go down so easily. Sure you beat me up a little but it takes much more than some kicks and punches to kill me. Honestly, that naivety is your downfall. But I don't blame you, I am that good of an actor."

Issei grit his teeth and felt his blood boiling. He reached down and grabbed the spear with both his hands, ignoring the burning pain of the one that was still part devil. Kokabiel noticed but didn't make any moves as the devil used the last of his strength to rip the spear out of his abdomen. In fact, the leader took even more of an interest in the boy as he watched the display.

Issei fell onto his stomach, landing with a thud that made the onlookers flinch. Kuisha was still frozen in shock as she watched the brunettes in moving body.

"My my, it seems you don't die as easily as I thought. You have truly astonished me today, Issei Hyoudou." The leader's eyes widened just a bit as he watched Issei pull himself to his knees and slowly turn to face him. It looked to be slow and painful but it shocked the angel at the boy's sheer willpower. As that was the only thing the pawn had left.

"I...won't die here today...Kokabiel. Even if I have to give up my soul...I'll protect everyone and...and I'll defeat you..."

Kokabiel was stunned. His jaw fell slack and, for the first time in a long time, he found himself at a loss for words. He hadn't seen such a thing in a long time. And while he didn't care much for the old heroic cliche, this time he found himself in a pause from it.

"...You're a very odd boy, Issei Hyoudou. I find you to be someone worthy of my respect. Something not even God was given. I'm actual saddened that we hadn't met on different circumstances but I must do what must be done. So I shall do you this favor and end it quickly."

Issei didn't even flinch from the statement. He held his ground and kept a firm and leveled gaze to the fallen leader. Kokabiel only felt more respect for the pawn as he held up his hand and summoned a light spear.

"Issei!" Kuisha cried out from behind the brunette. She rushed forward, trying to get to him. But her efforts were for naught as a barrier surrounded the duo. She shot multiple spells and pounded against it endlessly but the attempts didn't even put a crack in it.

Issei didn't even respond to her. He tried to find more power and summon the Boosted Gear once more. He could feel that he was drained but he continued to dig deeper. He grit his teeth as he tried to call upon his new power.

 _ **[Issei, stop!]**_

 _'I need more power Ddraig! I have to beat Kokabiel! Even if it means giving up my entire body!'_

 _ **[There's nothing more you can do! Anymore and you'll die!]**_

 _'I don't care! I just need a little more! I have to protect everyone!'_

 _ **[!?]**_

 _'Ddraig? Ddraig, what is it?'_

As Issei called for the dragon, Kokabiel rose his spear for the final attack. But just as he was about to plunge it into the boy's heart, a loud crash was heard.

The barrier surrounding the school shattered like glass. A white light was seen coming down towards the duo.

Kokabiel stopped what he was doing in favor of the white light. He looked up as it came down just before his barrier. And once the leader saw whom it was, he grit his teeth in a sudden fueling of anger.

"You... I didn't expect Azazel to send you..." The Cadre fallen spat with venom.

The light faded and revealed an armored person. The armor resembled Issei's Scale Mail except it was white instead of red and blue instead of green.

"Hmm, what a surprise Kokabiel. You've seem to have taken quite the beating from my rival," the white armored being spoke. It sounded like the person inside was male.

"This is nothing. I am more than capable enough to kill you too."

"Oh, is that so?"

The new arrival sounded amused by the angel's claim. He then rose his hand almost tauntingly before he back handed the barrier, shattering it easily.

"Then by all means, prove it."

Kokabiel, in a quick fit of rage, summoned to light spears and charged the armored man. However, he was stopped in his tracks with a powerful blow to his gut. It was more than enough to knock him unconscious and break a few ribs in the process.

The male looked down at the fallen through his helm. He then made a noise that sounded like he was a bit surprised. And his eyes shifted to Issei who was still bleeding profusely.

He was about to move towards him but was shoved aside by Kuisha. The queen rushed to Issei's side and held him in her arms. She quickly began to treat his wounds but still stayed defensive against the newest arrival. Ladora was quick to appear by her side, following her example as he too grew defensive.

"Hm, do you two really think you can stop me? You look just as spent as my rival." The male looked at the pawn who was now able to look back at him. The armored man could still see the resolve in Issei's eyes and it made him chuckle aloud.

"I see. Well then, I'll take my leave. Kokabiel was my mission, nothing more." The man picked up the unconscious angel and then turned back to Issei once more. "You're too weak as you are now, Sekiryuutei. But I shall commend you for making my job easier. Grow stronger and never lose that fire in your eyes. For when the day comes, the day we fight, we will burn our glorious battle into history."

With those parting words, the man disappeared in a flash of light. And with that, Issei fell unconscious as he body and mind finally gave out.

 **Alright. This chapter is finally closed .**

 **Now, first things first. I know a lot of you wanted Issei to win. But we have to look at this from a logical perspective. Issei just unlocked Balance Breaker AND just tapped into his newer powers. Plus, he was still weakened from his other fight against the Stray Devil. Kokabiel is a ten winged angel who is of Cadre status. He fought in the war, survived, and had even gone toe to toe with Vasco, the second strongest exorcist.**

 **I wanted to give Kokabiel much more credit, despite jobbing him out to both Issei and Vali. However, I also wanted Kokabiel to give Issei the respect not even God earned as way to push Issei into a better spotlight. Something that will drive him further.**

 **As for Kuisha and Ladora, their priority was keeping everyone safe and making sure everyone was taken care of. That's why they didn't join the fray. Excluding Isseis pride .**

 **As for next chapter I'll be pushing many things along. Issei's return to the Underworld, school, and a few other surprises. So stay tune as the next 3 or so chapters will be a push of the our little dragon.**

 _ **Issei's**_ **_Harem: Kuisha, Alice Nakiri, Rindō Kobayashi, Asia, Ravel, Irina Shidou, and Roygun Belphagor_**

 **Here's the list. No changes. But more appearances are coming soon. So be ready.**

 **Ciao**


	11. Act II: Life VII

**It has been a very long fucking time. Too damn long. Over a year in fact and, for that, I apologize. I had been so swept with life that all of this had gotten away. But im back and rejuvenated. So I'm going to make this not as short as possible.**

 **First, It took so long for this chapter to come out because I had massive writers block. Like I had the path planned but it was hard to actually craft. But once I found my inspiration and started the words began to flow and here we are. So hopefully this never happens again but I am ready if it does.**

 **Second, I have two new stories. One is short term the other is long term. The first is my Yandere story which will have one or two more chapters. The second is a webtoons comic crossover and will feature a mma fighter Issei, which will be interesting to write in my opinion. Hope you guys check it out.**

 **And thirdly, I will be doing two things to keep up with you guys as best I can. I will be creating a discord so you can come and shoot the shit with me. And I will also begin streaming video games on Twitch, just as a relaxation thing you guys can join in on and chat with me as well. Those links will be posted in Dragon of the Wild and updated to this chapter once they are created. So support your boy and join in on the fun.**

 **Discord:** discord. gg/ B2GMYe4

 **So without further ado, I give you guys the chapter you've all been waiting for.**

 _-XOXOX- Flashback -XOXOX-_

 _'Huh, where am I?'_

 _Issei opened his eyes, his vision slowly clearing or so he thought. The boy saw nothing, felt nothing, and couldn't comprehend what was up or down. There were no signs of life, or even material for that matter. There wasn't anything surrounding him, let alone anyone. All he could see was himself, floating in an endless abyss. It was an empty black and he couldn't be sure if it was because there wasn't any light where he was...or if there wasn't any light to begin with._

 _'What the hell is going on?' He asked himself, continuing to scan the area. He reached out, trying to find anything solid but his hands kept grabbing air. He tried to step forward but it felt like there wasn't even a floor beneath his feet. But it didn't feel as if he was falling._

 _Suddenly, a large green eye, bigger than the boy, opened right in front of his face. It shined like an emerald, glowing brightly as it lit up the area around Issei. The slit like pupil looked around for a second before it finally landed on the brunette and sharpened as it focused. It was only a few feet away and it scared the boy having not noticed how close he came to whatever the creature was._

 **[So, you're the one who awakened me?]** _The voice spoke up. It was strong and very masculine, booming through the void._

 _'W-Who are you?' Issei asked a bit shaky, fearful of the creature but standing his ground._

 **[Who am I? Have you forgotten when you called for me in your fight against the fallen angel?]** _The eye asked back._

 _Issei's eyes widened and he felt his left hand twitch. He quickly noticed how the sudden surge of power from his fight with Raynare was the same as the power radiating from the eye in front of him._

 _'The Red Dragon,' he muttered in awe. He remembered the name from Rias. Rias..._

 _In response to his answer, a large torrent of fire filled the void and brightened the area surrounding the teenager. It didn't burn him and was more comforting than dangerous. It also allowed him to see much better and his eyes widened in shock when he turned back to face the eye._

 _Before him, a large dragon stood where the eye once was. The large creature had crimson red scales with long sharp claws and jagged teeth. It made the boy stare, awe struck by the beast's great size and powerful appearance. So, this was the legendary creature from fairy tales._

 **[So, you do remember me.]** _The dragon spoke, breaking the trance. Its mouth hadn't moved but it spoke has if it did._

 _'Not much to be honest. I wasn't exactly filled in on who you were or what you did. Hell, I don't even know your name,' Issei replied, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile. He was always taught to ask of someone's name but he hadn't done that due to the situation he was in. So now, he hoped to rectify that._

 _The dragon looked at him curiously. The boy was no longer scared of him? Not that he ever was, he was more surprised really. In fact, he now seemed relieved to see the red dragon. That wasn't something his former possessor's displayed when they first met the dragon. He was a feared creature that everyone ran from upon first glance. So why was this boy so calm?_

 **[Why should that matter to you?]** _The dragon asked._

 _'Well, you're inside my Sacred Gear supposedly. That kind of makes us partners now and I'd like to know the name of the person I'm working with, giant lizard or not. That makes sense, right,' the pawn answered as if it was the simplest of logic._

 _The large beast didn't respond and opted for looking at the devil for a few more seconds. He wasn't able to fully grasp the boy, seeing as none of his other hosts had cared for trivial matters. They usually only asked for more power out the gate, which was granted albeit at a cost. But this boy, he was different to not even mention a way of cutting corners. It was...odd._

 **[Ddraig. My name is Ddraig.]** _The red dragon answered after some time._

 _Issei smiled in response and nodded. 'Nice to meet you, Ddraig. I'm Issei Hyoudou, of course you probably already knew that.'_

 _The dragon couldn't help a chuckle escaping his lips. He found the devil quite amusing. Never before had he met someone like him in his long lifetime nor his time trapped in the gear. If this was how it was going to be, it would be interesting to get to know him and watch his progression._

 _Shame they didn't have more time to talk._

 **[Well, Issei, I look forward to working with you. After your battle with the fallen angel, I look forward to seeing how you grow.]**

 _This response confused Issei but before he could even respond, he found himself waking up. While he didn't want to, there was no chance to stop had already vanished and the flames had receded._

 _The teen found himself back in the void but was soon cast out almost like falling from the sky._

 _-XOXOX- Flashback End -XOXOX-_

Kuisha sighed to herself. It had been two days since the trio had returned home. Issei was still asleep in his room and hadn't given any signs of waking up soon.

Both her and Ladora had given their reports to Sairaorg, who was equally impressed and worried for his newest family member.

Issei had done something amazing back in Kuoh, something Kuisha would struggle to do if she was placed in a similar scenario. The brunette had held back a Cadre fallen angel, a leader of the Grigori, and had him on his heels even if just for a moment. Whether it was a ploy or not didn't matter, Issei stood toe-to-toe with a being thousands of years older than him. A being who fought in a war and held centuries of experience from the battlefield.

For a split second, Kuisha had actually believed Issei had even beaten the fallen. And that had been everyone's mistake, especially Issei's. It must have been a calculated tactic seeing as everyone lowered their guard. And because of that, Issei almost lost his life.

The queen blamed herself, seeing as how she was the leader of the mission. Meaning it was her priority to make sure the three of them made it home safe. And she failed as now Issei was almost killed under her leadership.

No one else was to blame but her. The Gremory made sure her group didn't sustain life threatening injuries and even the exorcists weren't too bad.

How was she going to become a future King if she couldn't handle a mission as this? Well...it was a former war general. But even still, Issei shouldn't have been the only person fighting. Neither her nor Ladora moved to assist him, and they were suppose to be his seniors.

It seemed Issei was better suited as he took control the minute they arrived. Not only that, he hadn't hesitated to take on the Grigori leader despite feeling the very difference in their power. Kuisha knew Issei wasn't dumb. The brunette had to have known he couldn't defeat someone millenials older than him. And yet...he did his most to protect them.

What had the Queen done? Nothing but stand there. No matter if Issei wanted her to intervene or not she should have tried to back him up in some way once the rest of Kokabiel's forces had been dealt with.

It was no surprise that Sairaorg had taken such an interest in Issei. He was a special person, Kuisha had felt it from their first encounter. She could see he was hurting but saw as he smiled and was very kind to everyone. He accepted all of them almost immediately and the little time they spent together only allowed the bond between them to increase.

The devil knew that Rias made a mistake giving up the Red Dragon Emperor. But over time, she realized that the heiress made a bigger mistake by giving up Issei. She placed a hand over her heart, feeling the slowly increasing heartbeats. The more she thought about the brunette and his kindness, his humor, his bravery, his chivalry, and his generosity, the more red dusted her cheeks. She knew what it meant and couldn't help the developing feelings she had for the pawn. He was one of a kind and she knew that women from all over would kill to make him theirs.

She couldn't call her feelings extreme or love but she genuinely liked the boy. And she was curious to see how her feelings would continue to develop with him. Maybe a little Ise or Kuisha running around? Her blush turned bright red at that though.

For now though, Kuisha could wait. She knew of Issei's feelings towards Rias Gremory and knew that he still needed time to heal after she essentially stepped on those feelings and crushed them. The moment their eyes met back in Kuoh was more than enough to let the blonde know there was still pain there but if there was still affection she didn't know. That wouldn't stop her from helping him heal faster and, hopefully, he would be able to move on from the redheaded heiress and be able to truly be happy. He deserved it and the fact that Rias caused all this only made her look worse as she sullied the Gremory name and disgraced herself as a person.

Kuisha reached for the brunette's door and slowly opened it, trying not to disturb him if he was still asleep. She quietly entered, hoping to check on him and see how he was doing. Coriana had aided the Queen in healing his injuries after hurrying him home once the battle ended. He had been in a deep sleep since but was stable and had recovered otherwise.

The blonde neared the boy's bed and went to move the covers. However, she noticed that the bed was empty and her eyes widened. She quickly checked the closet and bathroom to see that he was in neither of those and worry began to set in. Was he awake and had wandered off, or had somebody moved him without telling her?

 _ **DOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNN**_

A heavy explosion of power shook the room, answering the devil's question as if on cue. She didn't even need to think much on it as it was obvious where he was now.

That explosion was Issei's dragon shot.

-XOXOXOXOX-

Kuisha hurried out to the training field. She looked to see Issei standing across from Sairaorg, a small distance between them. The former was down to one knee and looked to be out of breath and covered in small injuries while the latter was standing with just a few cuts and scrapes. The field itself was in ruins with giant craters and blown out debris everywhere. It had much more collateral damage done to it than when Issei and the Queen would usually spar.

"Impressive Issei. To think you were to gain such a power boost after achieving Balance Breaker, I'm so proud of you," the heir said with a grin.

Issei chuckled through his panting as a sad smile crept on his face. "Thanks Aniki, but I'm still nowhere near as strong as you."

Sairaorg stepped forward and held out his hand. The brunette looked at it before grabbing it. The King helped him up then placed the same hand on his shoulder with a firm grip.

"Issei, you have to remember, you have only just started out as a devil. You've been training seriously for about half of that and have made staggering progress to the point you stood on equal footing with a leader of the Grigori, even if just for a moment. I'd say that has more than solidified your strength."

"Yeah but...to be honest, I felt like he wasn't taking me serious until the end. And even then he hadn't used his full power," Issei replied, a little upset as he thought back to the fight.

"Yes, while that may be true he has been around for over many more years than you and I. He has fought in a war that weakened the Three Factions and he is one of the leaders of the fallen angels. For you to bring him to his knees and distract him long enough for reinforcements, there's no amount of praise I could give you."

The pawn felt a slight sting in his eyes as they began to water. Just when he felt down he was brought back up. Once again, his King had reassured him and erased the negative thoughts in his mind. The doubts within himself were replaced with his master's compliments and Issei was empowered by it.

"...Thank you, Aniki. It means a lot."

"You're welcome Ise."

Kuisha watched from the sidelines as the two shared the moment. She envied Sairaorg as he had a special way with words. His charisma could equal that of the Maous as he had a great talent for being a leader. It was only a matter of time before he would realize his dream and, hopefully, take up the mantle as a Satan.

She then turned to Issei. He was looking much better than the last time she saw him. He was alive and full of life versus the weakened state when he was in bed. For a moment he looked upset with himself but now he looked like his usual self. Obviously from there King's kind words. The blonde only wish it was her who encouraged the pawn and cheered him up but she knew her King had that kind of effect on the boy and had achieved a much better result than she would have.

As the Queen was about to step to join the duo, another figure was quick to step by. At first she was confused but her eyes widened once she realized who it was. Another figure then joined her side and she turned to see the legendary Queen of Annihilation. There was a silent exchange of greeting before Kuisha turned back to her peerage members.

"That was quite a duel," the new addition spoke up.

Issei and Sairaorg turned to see Sirzechs walking towards them, a gentle smile on his face. Both of them immediately bowed in respect at the Maou Lucifer's sudden appearance.

"Thank you, Maou-sama," Issei replied. He could hear Sirzechs laugh light heartedly.

"I told you Issei-kun, you are free to just call me Sirzechs."

"Eto, that's still a bit difficult for me to do, even if you say so..." The brunette scratched his cheek nervously, receiving another laugh in response.

"Hm, I shall allow it this time then as I am on important business here. I have come to deliver some news that I'm sure you'd be interested to hear. Especially you, Issei-kun," the redhead stated.

The pawn looked up surprised before pointing a finger at himself. "Me?"

Sirzechs nodded. "Yes, two pieces of news in fact but one I shall save at this time as we are waiting for someone."

Issei turned to his King. The Bael said nothing, opting to smile knowingly. Had the two discussed something about him?

"However, first and foremost, I want to apologize to you, Issei-kun," the Lucifer said before he bowed deeply.

The pawn's eyes shot open, coming out from his thoughts at the sudden change. He quickly began to wave his hands frantically. "What!? No, no, no, what do you have to apologize for, Lucifer-sama!?"

"My sister..." Sirzechs stated. This made Issei pause abruptly, confusion evident on his face. "She had hurt you in ways I can't imagine and for that, I am truly sorry. I love my sister and would defend her to the ends of the Underworld but...what she has done you is unforgivable and something neither I nor my parents could have foreseen. She had abandoned you after we all had just began to get to know you and after you had saved her from a marriage she wanted no part in. For her to go behind your back and trade you...no amount of apologies could ever amount to the cruelty she must have caused you. But still, I come here, in this moment, not as a Maou, but as a brother to Rias Gremory and a son to Zeoticus and Venelana Gremory, for your forgiveness."

Issei was unsure of how to respond. He turned to Sairaorg but the devil didn't offer any type of assistance nor gave any signs to help. It was obvious that he didn't want to sway Issei in his decision as this was the pawn's choice.

He turned back to the Devil King who had yet to lift his head. He had come all this way to apologize for his sister. Not only that but both him and his parents were asking for his forgiveness from what he was calling his sisters blunder. Why they cared for all of this was beyond him as he was a simple Low-class devil. Sekiryuutei or not, Issei was still just a starter devil.

"..."

"..."

"Ano, Maou-sama-"

"I am not a Maou in this moment. I am coming to you as Sirzechs," he replied quickly and firmly.

"Ah...S-Sir-Sirzechs-sama, I..." Issei paused, truly unsure of how he wanted to respond. He hadn't expected this. Nothing would have prepared him for such a thing. A Maou had come to him, even if he didn't want to be referred to as one he was still a High-class devil.

The boy's eyes began to wander in search of some support. Then they landed on Kuisha. She had been standing by Grayfia quietly, watching the entire exchange. When she met his gaze, she smiled back reassuringly. It comforted him and he felt the stress over him alleviate just slightly. He then turned back to the redhead and took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.

"Sirzechs-sama, I have no negativity towards you or Lady and Lord Gremory. Nor do I blame you for what happened between me and Rias. However, what she did to me is still hard for me to come to terms with at this very moment. So while I will forgive you, I cannot forgive her."

The Maou rose his head, his lips thinned. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before sighing. "Your response was expected but still surprising as well. You have full rights to not forgive her as we are yet to as well."

"What do you mean by that?" Issei asked with knitted brows.

"We have stripped Rias of her territory in Kuoh and have given full rights to Sona Sitri. It is only because of their friendship that she's still allowed to attend the school otherwise she would have come home. However, she is on probation and cannot do as she wishes without receiving proper permission first until we deem her ready for such a responsibility once more."

The serious look in the Maou's eyes made Issei a bit uneasy. It was moments like this that reminded him Sirzechs was very old and had fought in a war. That the usual cool and relaxing brother could also be a cold and brutal leader. But was all that really necessary?

Issei remembered that trading was a common practice in the Underworld. Devils would exchange peerage members from time to time and even flat out trade them for new pieces. After all, it was just like a game of chess. And all the reincarnated pieces were exchangeable.

"I know what you're thinking, Issei-kun. But I want to remind you that we as the Gremory cherish our peerage members and would never trade them. Anyone we take in becomes family and we cherish them as brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and so on. For her to lie to you and then trade you without even discussing it with you was more than enough reason for us to penalize her as such. So please, do not feel like its your fault. These are sins she has to pay for."

"A-ah...okay..." What else could he say about that. It wasn't like he could refute that, nor did he want to. Even with all his lessons about the devil's society there was still so much more to know. Especially after this eye opener that family's tended to handle certain things differently from others. Issei still had doubts about the whole thing but it wasn't his place to question it.

While everyone was distracted, a maid stepped forward and whispered something into one of the Queen's ear.

"Mm, understood. Sirzechs-sama, the other guest have arrived," Grayfia announced, bringing everyone out of their personal thoughts.

"Ah yes, it would seem I took too long," he replied, his leader side reverting back to his usual relaxed self. He looked towards Issei and smiled the same smile from before. "Please join me as this does involve you as well."

"H-hai, Lucifer-sama."

-XOXOXOXOX-

The group walked into the main foyer of the estate. Sitting on one of the many couches were three people, one of which Issei had met before. When their eyes locked onto each other, the brunette's widened while the other's quickly looked away.

"The yakitori's little sister!" The brunette exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear.

The first to respond was the young girl herself. "That's Ravel Phenix!" She shouted back with a heavy blush. She then realized that she had rose her voice and returned to her seat, her cheeks lighting up red.

Everyone else shared a laugh, save Issei and Grayfia. The two blondes by Ravel's side then stood up and stepped forward. Sirzechs did the same and, when they met, shook hands with both.

"Sirzechs, we haven't spoken in person since the contract was nullified," the male blonde spoke. He had long, jagged blonde hair that reached to his shoulders with a neat trimmed goatee rimmed around his mouth. He also had dark blue eyes, reminding Issei of the ocean, and a small scar just under his right eye that reached to his cheek.

"Yes, it truly has Lord Phenex. Likewise to you, Lady Phenex," the Maou replied as he turned to the woman. She looked like an older version of Ravel, like almost exact. Everything about her screamed beautiful from her gorgeous blue eyes down to her curvaceous figure and long slender legs. If this was the Issei from before his jaw would have hit the floor and drool would have begun to spill out. She was the epitome of beauty and he couldn't help his eyes wandering her form. It made the brunette very curious of how the youngest Phenex would mature over time if that was what he had to look forward to.

The pawn then quickly cleared his head, remembering where he was. That and the attention he was suddenly receiving from said Phenex family. Both Phenex's moved past Sirzechs and were now stepping towards him, unreadable expressions on their faces.

"You're Issei Hyoudou, are you not?" Lord Phenex asked.

"U-uh, yes! It is an honor Lord and Lady Phenex!" He exclaimed a bit louder than he'd have liked.

"Ah, well then, I am Rumias Phenex, pleasure to meet you," the man replied holding out a hand. Issei blinked a few times before slowly returning the gesture. "Strong grip, that's good. You were the boy who took down Raiser, correct?"

"E-eh? Ano..."

"Hahaha, no need to fear son, we hold know ill-will towards you. In fact, we thank you for it. That idiot needed to be taught a lesson," Rumias laughed out.

"Haaa..." The pawn didn't know how to respond only making the confused noise instead.

"What he means to say is that we appreciate what you did. Raiser only believed in the family trait and spent no time training. Thanks to you, we hope he now realizes that the Phenex name isn't absolute," Lady Phenex explained.

"Ah...well, I'm glad I could help, I think, ano..." Issei said, his sentence hanging at the end. The blonde woman caught on and smiled a refreshing smile that made the pawn's heart nearly skip a beat.

"Ah yes, where are my manners. I am Rekka Phenex, a pleasure to finally meet you." She then bowed to which Issei quickly reciprocated.

"Yes, a pleasure ma'am."

"Oh, he is a very respectable young man. Much different from when he stormed our party. Just makes me like him a little more," Lord Phenex joked with a grin.

"Yes, he is quite special isn't he. Sirzechs, have you spoken to him about what we discussed?" Lady Phenex asked turning from her husband to the redhead.

Everyone too turned back to the Maou who was scratching his cheek. "Unfortunately not. I was actually waiting for you before I spoke to Issei-kun about it," the Devil King answered.

"Mm, we appreciate it greatly then. Well, we won't keep everyone in suspense. Ravel, come and reintroduce yourself to Issei-kun," Rekka said.

"Hai, Okaa-sama," the young girl replied before she stepped forward and bowed before the brunette.

"It has been some time, Sekiryuutei-sama. As you know, I am Ravel Phenex, fourth child of the House of Phenex," she spoke formally. It surprised Issei at how mature she could be for someone her age.

"Yeah, it has been. And you can just call me Issei like everyone else."

Ravel coughed into her fist, still having a hard time making eye contact with him. "Well then, I shall call you Issei-sama then."

The pawn was a little unsettled by the honorific, but opted for the compromise.

"Now, Issei-kun," Lord Phenex spoke up, bringing the brunette's attention back to him. "Like I said, I'm not going to suspend this longer than I have to. I had been discussing this with Lucifer-sama and Sairaorg-san ever since word broke of Rias Gremory trading you. I'm here to ask you myself and it is ultimately your choice to accept or deny it."

Issei swallowed hard, the tension that suddenly filled the room thickening very rapidly. What was he going to ask of him? Usually when a Lord or Maou came to another's home and requested of a servant it was to either propose a trade or ask them to go on a mission. And honestly, Issei didn't know how he would respond if either of them were the case. He had just gotten back and he was still a bit sore from his recovery. And he had no immediate plans of wanting to be traded either.

Whatever it was, he just had to be as best prepared as possible.

"Issei-sama, would you do the honors of taking my daughter's hand in marriage?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Hah?"

 **And done and done.**

 **I don't have much to say but that you didn't see that one coming. So review and let me know what you thought.**

 **As for the harem there will be a small tweak to it. The peerage will also begin its crafting stages next chapter. So be prepared for the first few additions to Issei's peerage.**

 _ **Issei's Harem: Kuisha, Ravel, Alice Nakiri, Irina Shidou, Asia, Roygun Belphagor**_

 **I'm removing Rindo sadly because I've got nothing for her. Plus she was a simple spur from when I first made it. But yay Alice.**

 **So with nothing left I say my farewell. Hopefully you enjoyed and I'll try to have the next chapter out soon.**

 **Ciao**


	12. Act II: Life VIII

**Holy shit, a chapter in less than 6 months!? Its a miracle!**

 **Hey guys, back with the next chapter. As per usual, I goofed off a bit and could have had this chapter much sooner.** **Good news, the discords up and I have a few guys in there so we've been having a blast. Link will be below so feel free to join in.**

 **Discord:** discord. gg/ B2GMYe4

 **As for the story, to clear things up. I won't be bashing or belittling Rias MUCH. This is a story on Issei's redemption and growth from another stand point. Rias has fucked up and will regret it slowly but I won't be putting her into the ground like a lot of stories do. Issei is forgiving and has found his happiness. Anyone who has found true happiness can attest that revenge wouldn't even become worth it by that point.**

 **Sirzechs apologizing had to be done in my opinion. His sister is too prideful to admit her faults and I feel he'd have to do it before the idea even crosses Rias's mind. Period.**

 **So, for now, enjoy the chapter and pay attention to the last author note at the bottom as it holds some of Ise's peerage memebers now.**

"Ano...this all seems a bit sudden. I mean, I still..." Issei trailed off, unable to find the right words.

"No no, we completely understand," Rumias quickly informed. "It must be difficult after what happened between you and Rias Gremory. All of us saw how hard you fought for her and we commended your resolve."

"...T-Thank you..."

"I do want to apologize for bringing this forth so quickly."

"Huh?" Issei looked up a bit confused.

"We understand that you're still conflicted with your feelings toward your former King."

Issei opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He then remembered Rias's face during his fight with Kokabiel. The same broken, dull, and shameful expression that she held when she came face to face with what she had thrown away. She had looked so defeated and had to hope in what she thought was a mistake. It still left a bad taste in his mouth.

Everyone could see his expression fall as he was reminded of her. No matter how many times he thought he was over the heiress, there was still some damage left behind. It was understandable as everyone took time to heal and, as much as he wanted to rush it, Issei still had a lot of recovering to do.

"Issei-sama?" Rekka spoke up.

"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking," he replied before chuckling awkwardly.

"We didn't want you to bring forth some unwanted thoughts. Our intentions were not to upset you but to try and explain our abrupt meeting and request towards you."

Issei paused momentarily. Rumias continued after his wife. "Devil politics are a fickle thing and won't necessarily play to human's logistics. Has your King told you of other devils requests for you?" The Lord asked.

The brunette's eyes widened and he quickly turned to Sairaorg. The heir said nothing and simply sat with his arms folded. Rumias saw this and nodded.

"I see. Then if he doesn't mind..." The heir nodded for him to continue. "Issei-kun, when you were traded, no one knew until Sairaorg brought it forth to the Gremory's and Sirzechs. Word then spread fast and a lot of devils were hoping to bid for you as well. I am pretty sure Sairaorg has had to deal with a lot of requests since announcing the news."

The Sekiryuutei turned to his brother. The older teen did have a lot of paperwork on is desk but to think how many of those were actually requests for him. He had no idea how much he was putting his King through. The amount of people that must have been asking, demanding, maybe even begging Sairaorg, just for Issei must have been taking a toll on him.

"Its been bothersome, but I can deal with it. As long as Issei is happy, I can bear the burden," Sairaorg replied. He then shot a smile to his the Pawn. Issei could only smile in return from the words of reassurance. He would make his King proud, that was a promise.

"Yes, Issei has become special to all of us. He is family now and we make sure his happiness comes first," Kuisha added, resting one of her hands atop the brunette's. He flinched slightly from the touch but relaxed into it a second later. He glanced at the Queen to see her smile as well and couldn't help the light blush dust his cheeks.

The three Phenixs saw this, all with varying takes on it. Sirzechs and Grayfia also took note of how relaxed the brunette became between the King and Queen. Rumias was the first to speak his thoughts.

"Yes, we all are glad then as we too find our peerage to be more of family than slaves. It is good to see that he is cared for. And I'm sure those requests have increased with word of Kokabiel's defeat," the Lord added.

Issei turned back to the blonde male. "You know about that?"

"From the Underworld to Heaven and all in between. Something like this doesn't stay under wraps for very long. Angels or devils, all know of the defeat of the war-monger Kokabiel. And at the hands of the Sekiryuutei who is but a Low-class devil."

As the Phenex spoke, Issei clenched his fists and grit his teeth. "But I didn't defeat him... He stabbed me clean through my gut because I let my guard down."

"But you were the one who had him on his heels," Sirzechs spoke up. Issei's anger subsided for the moment and he turned to the Maou. "Issei-kun, you were but a human mere months ago. There are Pure-blooded devils who wouldn't have even been able to scratch Kokabiel. And yet you, a Low-class devil, were able to leave him in such a state that the capture of the fallen was mere child's play. So says the Grigori."

Issei blinked a few times. Sirzechs spoke similarly to what Sairaorg had just told him before. They praised him for what he did despite the fact he hadn't won. If it wasn't for the other guy, everyone would... He'd rather not think of that.

Was he really worthy of the praise from his King and the Maou? It was hard as he had so much to live up to. Despite being a devil for so little time, technically he was the Sekiryuutei his whole life. And if only he knew...maybe things would be different. Maybe he would be stronger...

"He's right Issei-sama," Rekka spoke, breaking him from his thoughts. "Because of you Kuoh is still safe. You bought more than enough time for someone to arrive and stop him. That takes a lot of strength which a lot of others do not have."

 _'..Why do they continue to praise me..?'_ The brunette thought, his heart beating a bit faster. It was strange feeling such warmth from so many individuals. He had thought he failed but all of these higher ranking individuals saw it as a success. They hailed him as some kind of hero but...was it really necessary?

 _ **[You held your own against a ten-winged angel. Given the time you've actually had training, no one else could've done what you did.]**_

 _'Ddraig? How long-'_

 _ **[Long enough. Stop beating yourself up over the past. That will be the death of you if you take every failure and brood over it,]** _the dragon replied.

Issei lowered his head again. _'But they were counting on me to defeat him. I failed...'_

 _ **[No you didn't. Everyone is still alive, correct?]**_

 _'Y-Yeah...but...'_

 _ **[You did your job, Issei. You bought enough time so your friends could live. And you were able to injure a man who had survived against the likes of me when I and Albion rampaged across the battlefield. Taking all of that into account, you should be proud of what you did. Even I have to admit, you are starting to become a true dragon...]** _With those words Ddraig cut the link. It was obvious he hinted at something at the end but Issei couldn't pin what. Nor did he really have the time to do so.

Returning to his own thoughts, now with Ddraig's input, Issei could feel the weight on his shoulders lighten a little. He did save his friends. And he did kick Kokabiel's butt, even if for a few seconds. But there was still that nagging feeling that he could have done more. And there was still that guy who came at the end that put Ddraig on alert. Who was he?

"What do you say, Issei-kun?"

The sound of the Phenex Lord calling him brought the Pawn from his thoughts. He could see that everyone was looking at him with expectancy. Had he been asked a question? He needed to heed his partners words and forget the past for now. These were important conversations and ones he needed to pay attention to.

"Ah, my apologies, there's a lot on my mind. Could you repeat that?"

"Certaintly. As stated before, your King has received a lot of requests for you. But not all of them have been trades," Rumias stated.

"Eh, what do you mean?"

"As you probably know, the 72 Pillars are not what they use to be before the Civil War." Issei nodded and the lord continued. "Many of the Pillars have resorted to mixed breeding in order to sustain their title as Clan heads, so Pure-blooded devils are become fewer and fewer. Because of this the shift in society is becoming more based on power, whether those that stick to old traditions like it or not. Hence why we tried to please both sides by marrying Rias and Raiser. You could understand, a child between the families would not only wield extremely powerful abilities but also be a Pure-blood, so to speak."

"I see. You were simply trying to preserve what little of the devil race that's left..." Issei replied. The Lord nodded and Issei found himself understanding the arranged marriage a little more. He still disagreed with it but could understand it was done out of fear of losing the last bit of purity that devils had. Another thing his former immaturity had blinded him to. He still believed his decision was right and would do it again, but now he could tell what Raiser meant during their duel. If only he knew, maybe the yakitori would have seemed like a less of a prick. If only by a smidge.

"Yes, well, we have now decided that the times are changing and we must adapt as everyone else. So we've come to you before any other clans decide to actually meet with you in person."

"What do you mean..?" Issei asked.

"Issei-kun, Sairaorg not only has received trade requests, but has also received a number of marriage requests as well," Rumias finally admitted.

...

...

...

"E-E-EEHHHHHHH!?"

Issei's shout filled the room, echoing a few seconds after he shut his mouth.

"M-M-M-Marriage!?"

The Lord and Lady nodded their heads. Issei turned to his King immediately, whipping his head at a speed that should have snapped his neck. The mentioned Bael nodded his head, confirming the Phenex's answer to be the truth.

"B-But why!? How!?" Issei asked, eyes the size of saucers.

"Just as Lord Phenex stated, the political times in devil society are changing due to the difficulty of us holding on to our purity," Sirzechs explained. "With the difficulty to reproduce Pure devils, due to our limited numbers and low birth rate, such things like blood are starting to become null and void as the days go by. So we now look to judge a person by their power and abilities rather than their race."

The Maou's explanation made some sense and the brunette hummed in acceptance. It made sense that they were having to change but the Pawn was still confused as to why so many requests were for _him_ to be married off. There were a lot of better options than him.

Rekka could read him easily and a small smile adorned her lips. She could see why her daughter had a crush on him. "Mm, it seems your confused. Asking "why me", am I correct?" Issei blinked owlishly but nodded. "Issei-sama, you are the Sekiryuutei first and foremost. Anyone within all of the factions would want that power on their side. Most would kill for the chance to have the Red Dragon of Domination fighting with them."

Issei once again found himself astonished. Ddraig really carried that much power to make him such a sought after being? Even long after he was sealed and placed in a gauntlet? The teen really did have a lot to hold up to.

"Not only that but after your fight with Kokabiel, I'm sure the clans desires only increased for you. And I'm willing to bet they will do anything to get you to say yes," Rumias added on.

...

...

A small shift filled the air as the room was silent.

...

...

"Well...what would your reasoning be?" Issei asked as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs.

""Heh?"" Husband and wife both looked confused by the teen's sudden question.

"You made it sound like the other clans want me because I can give them a powerful heir. Wouldn't that mean you're doing the same?" He looked both of them straight in the eyes. For once it wasn't the nervous and confused boy they had seen the entire meeting. His eyes were sharp, his fidgeting had stopped, and his aura had shifted to that of his dragonic counterpart. In other words, the Dragon of Domination had suddenly perused over them without them being aware.

"Ano...we-" Both Phenexs were surprised by the sudden shift. They had lowered their guard around him from all his confusion and nervousness that he had displayed towards them. Ravel, too, had been caught off guard from the brunette's sudden change in energy. It reminded her of the moment after the duel. The feeling of being dominated and put into place. And, for a second time, her underwear was ruined due to the sudden moisten from her loins.

A few strands of hair slipped from Issei's forehead, covering one of his eyes, the other gained an ominous glow as he stared at them. "You said it yourselves, you chose to marry Rias to the yakitori simply to save your race. You also told me that everyone else is doing the same as you to claim a powerful offspring from me. What's to say you aren't doing the same?"

Everyone in the room took notice of his tone. The Pawn had changed in demeanor all together. Kuisha knew it better than anyone as she witnessed the same type of feeling during the brunette's fight with Kokabiel. She looked down at his hand to see it holding hers, almost possessively. He had flipped her hand to know be resting in his lap and he held it very close to him. She couldn't help the blush adorn her cheeks and the slight increase in her heart rate after seeing what must have been a subconscious gesture.

"Issei-kun, we do not mean to use you as a way of political gain. It is unavoidable but our reasoning is much different from what you have claimed," Rumias answered, doing his best to try and diffuse the situation.

" **Hoh**..?" His reply was short and did little to ease his aura surrounding them.

"We understand what happened between you and Rias Gremory and we were unfortunate to be there in your time of need. We only want to extend ourselves to show there's no bad blood between us."

...

...

A long period of silence reigned over. Everyone watched Issei as he could be seen thinking over what the Lord had said. His eyes had never left from their forms but his focus lessened a bit as his aura began to receed. Slowly, but surely, it faded but just before it was gone his focus returned and, with it, the aura flooded over.

"Its best if you're completely honest with me," he stated. Sairaorg could be seen with a small smile of pride. His Pawn was learning and even if he trusted the Phenex's that didn't mean Issei had to as well. He was showing his prowess in politics and that no devil ever did anything without getting something in return.

"You saw right through us, huh," Rumias answered back. "Its true, that isn't the full truth. While we want you to be apart of our clan that doesn't mean we do it just for the sake of it. We one day hope you give us a strong child from Ravel so that we can continue the prosperity of our household. Please understand that we have little more to gain and that we merely want to have good ties with you from this day forward."

"What of the Bael clan? Wouldn't that also place you in good terms with them? It would be great considering the Great King is Zekram Bael himself," Issei explained.

The kid was good, everyone in the room had to admit it. He adapted fast and was covering all corners. The immature brat from the engagement party who wanted to save the princess wasn't there, now replaced with what they all can say was the true Red Dragon Emperor.

"We already have a good relationship with the Bael. We have little to gain in that aspect."

The Pawn took another moment. But it wasn't long before he closed his eyes and sighed. The aura then vanished completely and the room returned as it once was, the group all relaxing just a bit.

Issei then slowly opened his eyes and turned to Ravel. She had been quiet the entire time and had put in no input despite the entire exchange involving her future.

"Ravel," Issei spoke calmly. The girl jumped from suddenly being called.

"Y-Yes, Issei-sama!?" She squeaked. The young lady was still trying to recover from the overbearing power of the dragon. It was much more potent than the first time only proving how much stronger her possible fiance had become.

"What are your thoughts in all of this?" He asked her.

"What?" She seemed confused by the question.

"Well, you know the reasoning behind why I interfered in your brother's and Rias's engagement. So before I even give a response, I want to know if you even want this," he explained sounding as genuine as he could.

The group could see and feel the warmth from him. Another turn and he was back to the loving person some got to see and/or know. It was quite a trait to be able to do so. A dangerous one to anyone who challenged him farther down the line.

"Ano...well..." The young blonde fidgeted in her seat, looking away with a light blush. "I...wouldn't mind it..." Was her reply. It was quiet and she said it with extreme shyness.

Issei heard it, however, and sighed while scratching the back of his head. "I see."

...

...

...

...

"Lord and Lady Phenex," he spoke suddenly.

"Yes?"

"This isn't something I can answer at the moment. I still have some thinking to do and you have given me more to add on to that. So I am unable to give you a proper response as of today," he responded professionally.

The Lord and Lady smiled with understanding. "We see. Well, whatever you decide, please allow us to be the first to know."

Issei only nodded his head in response.

The trio then stood together. "Lucifer-sama, it has been a pleasure. Likewise to you as well, Issei-kun."

The respective parties nodded or bowed in response. The signature magic circle then appeared below the Phenex's feet.

"A-Ano, Issei-sama!" Ravel spoke up as the circle began to glow brighter.

"Hm, what is it?"

"If it is...alright with you, could I visit you again?" She was very timid, twirling her finger through one of her hair drills.

The boy grinned brightly. "Sure, come by any time."

The young girl smiled in return, relief and happiness seen on her face as she nodded enthusiastically. Then a plume of flame shot up before disappearing along with the three Phenexs.

As soon as they were gone, Sirzechs stepped forward towards the trio of young devils.

"I'm very surprised by your answer, Issei-kun."

"Why is that?"

"Ravel-chan is quite cute. I thought you'd have accepted the proposal after some thought since it was a dream of yours to create a harem. You had a guaranteed wife and yet you chose to not answer at all."

Issei sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, things have changed. I'm not the blind pervert I was before and I won't fall for the tricks some of these devils are trying to play. I will _not_ be used again..."

Issei's eyes had flashed green and Sirzechs took note of the momentary change. It seemed there was some disdain held towards his sister. It was still understandable and the brunette gave no signs of wanting to enact revenge against her. That was good, Sairaorg seemed to have helped him a great deal.

"Yes, that is good then. We can't have that when trying to promote you to Mid-class, can we?"

The Sekiryuutei paused. He was just about to add something else but the words registered a bit faster and caught him a few seconds before. Sirzechs and his two companions chuckled from the look on his face. Grayfia, too, couldn't help the slight upwards turn at the corners of her lips.

"You see Issei-kun, as I'm sure my sister has explained, there are three ways a devil can be promoted," Sirzechs begun to explain.

"Completing contracts, participating in Rating Games, or military accomplishments," Issei replied, remembering his former King's explanation.

"Correct. The last one you mentioned is the easiest and hardest. You can fly up the ranks through war but there also has to BE a war for such a thing. Seeing as there's no war, the other two have become the only options most devils have."

Issei hummed as he began to realize where the Maou was going with the explanation. His only negative thought was how devils loved to build suspense.

"Of course, a rampaging Cadre-class fallen angel does raise a lot of red flags," Sirzechs noted with a raised finger. "Seeing how even I was unable to get there in time, you were able to buy enough time for help to finally arrive. You fought and saved the lives of two heiress's and a number of allies and humans in the process and helped preserve the ceasefire we've kept together for many years. So it is befitting that we reward you with this achievement, Issei Hyoudou."

"I... Um, thank you for this. I still don't know if I'm worthy but if the Maou Lucifer says so, it must be true," Issei replied respectfully. He was shocked to say the least. Despite his defeat he was rewarded with such a thing. He could only hope it wasn't a mistake as Mid-class was something he didn't foresee for sometime. No one in Rias's peerage was a Mid-class and they were devils far longer than him. But it seemed fate had other things in store so he would take it in stride for now. Best he could do was train and get stronger.

"Well, this has been an eventful day. I do hope you take all of this in Issei-kun and we will give you a date for your tests very soon. So work hard and stay vigilant." Just as the Devil King was about to leave, his Queen leaned into his ear and whispered something which made him pause. His face gained a serious look and he nodded several times, each time his expression becoming sterner and sterner.

"Yes, how careless of me. Thank you, Grayfia," he muttered back to her before he turned his attention back to the trio. "My apologies but it seems I have missed one more bit of important information regarding the Kokabiel incident."

All three young devils looked confused and they straightened up as the Maou switched to his authoritative demeanor.

"Issei, Kuisha, I hate to ask this of you considering you've returned home just a few days ago. But upon the request of the Three Factions you two, and Ladora, will need to return to Kuoh."

 **Done and done.**

 **Don't havs much to say. Hopefully this clears up why the Phenexs were so quick to throw marriage at Issei. Its Devil Society and I can spin it how I will. And I'm making it spin like a beyblade Dammit. Review about it and what not.**

 **Now, for the first additions to Issei's peerage. Im only doing three and will reveal more in the coming chapters.**

 _ **Issei's peerage:**_

 _ **Queen: ?**_

 _ **Bishops (x1): Alice Nakiri**_

 _ **Bishop (x1): ?**_

 _ **Knights (x2): ?**_

 _ **Rooks (x2): Aria Lustfall (OC by Revan the Edgelord)**_

 _ **Pawns (x3): Arun (OC by Revan)**_

 _ **Pawns (x5): ?**_

 _ **There you have it so far. More to come later.**_

 **So with nothing left I say my farewell. Hopefully you enjoyed and I'll have the next chapter out soon.**

 **Ciao**


	13. Act III: Life I

**Alright, back again faster than before.**

 **Not gonna make this long and just let you read the chapter**

 **All important replies and updates will be at the bottom. So pay attention**

 **That is all**

Cameras were going off, lights flashing one after the other. All that was heard was the constant clicking of buttons and flashes of lights as a horde of male students pushed and shoved each other to get a shot of someone on a stage.

Upon closer inspection, one could see said person spinning, twirling, jumping, and posing for the camera. It was a young lady looking very giddy as she did her best to look at each and every camera with a new pose too. She was a beautiful, young-looking girl with long black hair tied into twin tails. She had blue eyes that resembled crystals and slightly pale skin that only seemed to heighten her beauty. Her body was almost that of a childs but she possessed large assets that drove the hormonal teen boys wild, their eyes never leaving as they jiggled in her tight clothing. The woman was dressed in a pink colored Magical Girl outfit, consisting of a pink shirt, skirt, gloves, and boots. She also wore thigh high black and pink stripped socks and weilded a pink wand to match, waving it around as she continued her impromptu photoshoot.

But, just before it got too intense, someone quickly came in to put a stop to the commotion. Another teen boy, this one with dirty blonde hair and grey eyes, stepped in front of the young woman, blocking her from the cameras.

"Alright, that's enough!" He shouted, sounding very irritated.

"Out of the way, Student Council!"

"Yeah, beat it!"

"You're ruining all of our shots!"

The crowd became angered at the young man's interference but the blonde didn't waiver in the slightest. He folded his arms and, in fact, only seemed more annoyed by the horde of males.

"Get out of here. It's an important day and we don't need this kind of commotion going on! Get back to class!" He chastised, pointing towards the door. The group grumbled incoherent curses as they finally conceded and began to disperse. A few threw some shouts of encouragement to the magical girl before the gymnasium was finally cleared out.

The remaining young man sighed in relief. Things could have been a lot messier but that must've been the power Sona and her group held as the Student Council.

"And you, please don't wear that kind of costume," the blonde stated, turning his attention to the magical girl. As soon as he did, he noticed that he'd never seen the girl before and crossed his arms again. "Wait, would you be a parent perhaps? You know, there's a dress code, even for parents and guardians."

"But this is my uniform," the girl responded with an innocent look on her face. The male just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So troublesome..." He muttered. It was then that he sensed another group had entered the room. When he turned he saw Rias Gremory and two of her peerage members with her. Akeno and Kiba were at her sides, the group taking a few seconds before finally reaching the foot of the stage.

"Ah, Rias-senpai," he greeted with a bow.

"Saji, what happened here?" Rias asked.

"I was just showing around your family before I came in here and stopped...whatever was going on here," he answered, jumping down from the stage. It was then that the sound of laughter reached the young devils ears and they all turned to the side entrance of the gym.

"So, it was Sera-chan making all of this noise," an older gentleman joked as he walked in the room. He had long red hair with a matching goatee and blue eyes that were very similar to Rias. Behind him, Sirzechs and Grayfia followed, the former equally amused as the gentleman. The latter held a monotone expression but inside was sighing from the Maou Leviathan's antics.

"Ah, Zeo-tan!" Serafall exclaimed from behind the Pawn. "I'm super excited that you and Sirzechs-chan got to be here as well! Did Ria-tan tell you? Because So-tan didn't and I'm super mad! But I still love her so I cant be too mad!"

"Ahaha, still as exuberant as ever," the head of the Gremory household laughed out. The young woman always tickled him with her playful personality. "Tell me, how did you get away from your escorts, hm?"

"It was very hard Kui-tan and La-tan were so strict with me and wouldnt let me explore! I was lucky Dragon-kun was there or I would've never met those nice photographers," the young woman complained. She even went as far as to shed a few small tears and whimper to gain the groups sympathy.

"Its incidents like this Lady Serafall that give us a reason not to let you wander off," another voice spoke out. The group all turned to another entrance way, opposite the building.

Kuisha and Ladora slowly walked towards the group, the female Maou sweating as the duo got closer. The former had her arms crossed and didn't look all too pleased. "It was lucky for us to spot the group of boys walking out, talking about a magical girl. You have much to do before the days over."

The heiress's eyes widened as she remembered the two new additions. They had intervened in the fight against Kokabiel. Of course, if it wasn't for them, Rias would probably not be standing here today and would either be a slave or dead at the hands of the war-monger. It was also the girl who had saved Issei the moment Kokabiel was defeated. All while she stood back and did nothing.

Issei. The person she had traded because she deemed him weak. The guy who saved her from her marriage by a fluke and holy water. The perverted idiot who only cared for oppai. For him to achieve such a feat, was it really just luck that he had beaten Raiser that night? Had her gut been wrong? Was she the weaker one now?

"Mouuu~, but I was having fun..." Serafall whined, breaking the Gremory's thoughts.

"We are not here to have fun, we have to greet the angels soon Lady Leviathan. Or have you forgotten your duties," Kuisha stated with a sigh.

"A little here and there is okay though! Dragon-kun would totally agree with me," the Maou replied with a childish smile.

"As long as you handle your business first and foremost, Serafall-sama." A new voice joined the fray from behind the Queen and Rook. Turning around, everyone saw the former resident of Kuoh walking in. "We are short on time, however, and we must take off soon, so I'm sorry to say but the fun is over."

Issei walked into the gym, coming to stand by his companions side. He had a refreshing smile on his face and looked to have confidence with his stride. The group of devils all stared at him, more specifically between him and Rias. He paid her little to no mind but the young redhead had yet to take her eyes off him since he walked in. His aura and stature had both changed since he left and he seemed more mature too. It was almost like he was a different person.

"Issei..." She muttered, finally able to get a word out. It was the only thing that came to mind.  
The brunette glanced over to her. He then smiled an all too familiar smile. "Gremory-sama." Issei bowed to her before he turned to the Magical Girl. "Lets go Serafall-sama, the meetings in twenty minutes."

Sirzechs shared a look with his father. Their eyes had met for a brief moment but the reasoning was clear to both of them.

Both saw the way that Rias had looked at her former Pawn. She had bit her bottom lip and lowered her head after his greeting. Actual signs of regret were clear on her face and the young hothead of the Gremory clan was left standing there, guilty and upset for reasons too obvious to anyone who witnessed the exchange.

Issei's reaction to her was complete indifference. He spoke to her with absolute formality. No signs of affection, disdain, or any real emotion for that matter. He wasn't happy, sad, angry, or anything. And it was the fact he showed no hospitality or negativity towards Rias that made her feel worse.  
But the true icing on the cake was the smile. The heiress knew that smile all too well. It wasn't a real smile but one many used as a professional courtesy. It served no purpose but to create a mask of friendliness. The reason she knew was because she used it almost everyday. But to have it used on her...it wasn't a good feeling.

-XOXOXOXOX-

Once outside the gym, Issei released a heavy sigh. He slouched over and placed a hand over his left eye as he shook his head. His heart was racing and his breathing was quick and short. He tried to calm himself, looking the complete opposite of what he was moments ago.

Now alone outside of the meeting room, Issei let himself go. After his small exchange with Rias, he hadn't felt the same confident kid he portrayed before everyone else. And now, that he was by himself, it all came in full force. His typhoon of thoughts and emotions had returned after holding them off as long as he could. All he could was shake his head, trying to rid the thoughts from his mind.

"That was tougher than I thought," he muttered to himself.

 _ **[Im surprised that girl shook you up this much, partner. You claim it will be okay and yet she still has some place in your heart.]**_

"It's difficult, Ddraig. Being so close to her, hearing her voice, seeing that look in her eye... Things were not how I thought they'd be. I...I don't know how to feel."

 _ **[Does she really mean that much to you? After abandoning you when you saved her from a life with a man she hated? After she called you weak and traded you for two women who beat you daily till you bled? After she took you away from the priest girl, after you risked your life to save her from the fallen angel? Can you really say you still love her?]**_

"..."

 _ **[That wasn't rhetorical.]**_

"...I-I don't know. Its difficult, okay?" Issei tried to dodge the question but the dragon wasn't going to allow that.

 ** _[Issei, I told you to forget the past-]_**

"Its not that easy, Ddraig. Not with her," Issei interrupted sounding annoyed.

 _ **[And why is that?]**_

Issei hesitated for a moment. He closed his eyes and threw his head back. The air around him grew heavy. All the weight from before returned to his shoulders as doubt began to cloud his mind.

Slowly he opened eyes coming to stare at the ceiling above him. These emotions were fresh and old. They plagued his mind as he rocked his head against the wall. Even after the battle with Kokabiel, when he thought he could keep his emotions in check. Maybe he was distracted with his fight and his concerns for his friends took over at the time. Now, he couldn't control them and they were slowly eating away at his mind.

He sighed again.

"She saved my life," he whispered out, sounding tired. "I was killed because of something I didn't know I had. But she saved me, gave me new purpose, gave me something to actually fight for. For once I felt like I could belong to something and not be a loser."

 _ **[...]**_

"But to be ripped from the people you wanted to call family. To be casted out by the woman who saved your life and began to heal your heart... Its not something I can just let go..."

 _ **[I see... And this is how you truly feel?]** _The boy nodded his head. **_[Hm, maybe I can try to understand your reasoning then. You had let your guard down and started to open up to people. But before you could even start healing, another knife was stabbed into you. And not only that but it was twisted.]_**

"Yeah."

 _ **[Then I can say this reaction is justified. But you still have Sairaorg and the others.]**_

"Yeah I know but it takes-"

 _ **[Time, yes I get it. But it is time we no longer have partner. Kokabiel was only the beginning and the more you hold on to this the more likely you'll die.]**_

Issei lowered his head again. "Then tell me, what can I do Ddraig? How do I beat this!?"

 _ **[You have to heal.]**_

Issei paused from the answer. He looked down at his hands, clenching and relaxing them several times.

 _ **[You are the only one who can beat your demons. But your friends are the ones who can help you along the way. Appreciate that you have them, for there are many of my old partners who were alone and were driven insane.]**_

Issei swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I trust them, Ddraig, but...can I really get over this?"

 _ **[That is for you to decide, partner.]**_

-XOXOXOXOX-

Issei walked into the meeting room. The people inside turned to him, two seated at a table and four against the walls. On one side Serafall sat with Kuisha and Ladora close behind her. The latter two greeted him and the Queen motioned him to join her side. He did without a word and turned his attention to the three opposite the table.

"And so our final member has joined us," the one sitting at the table spoke. Behind him, the familiar faces of Irina and Xenovia stood. His childhood friend waved towards him while the bluenette nodded her head in acknowledgement.

The young man in the seat smiled gently at the brunette. He had long blonde hair and gentle green eyes. He was very handsome, and exerted this feeling a friendliness. Behind him, twelve white wings sat on his back, giving away that he was an angel. But not just any angel, a Seraph. It was the highest level any angel could hope to achieve.

Issei was in awe as he looked at the wings. Two more than Kokabiel and the war-monger was stronger than Issei. That meant this anger was much stronger and way out of the boy's league. But despite the difference, the holy aura he was emitting was warm and welcoming, showing the angel had no hostility towards the Pawn or his allies.

"My apologies for the delay. Im Issei Hyoudou, it is a pleasure," he greeted with a deep bow.  
"Yes, you would be the one I heard about then. I am Michael, the current leader of Heaven. You have gained quite the reputation defeating Kokabiel, young man," he praised.

"It wasn't me who beat him but your words are truly kind," Issei replied. He was thankful for Kuisha and Sairaorg's assistance when it came to speaking during political meetings. His King was an heir so it was inevitable that he would learn proper etiquette and now it was paying off.

"You're very humble, Hyoudou-kun. My two subordinates tell me you, quote unquote, "kicked his ass up and down the battleground", so to speak," he joked, even using his fingers to create air quotations marks.

Issei turned to the duo. Irina laughed awkwardly and Xenovia looked away with a heavy blush on her face. It was obvious who said it and Issei couldn't help the awkward smile appear on his lips.

"Is that...so..."

"Indeed. When I was told you'd be escorting Lady Leviathan, I thought it lucky for me," the leader then added.

"Mm? Why is that?" Issei asked looking confused.

"Because of you," Serafall spoke up. Issei cocked his head to the side in confusion. The Maou didn't see it but took his silence as a cue to continue. "Before you arrived we had a small discussion about the recent events. The angels have come to a conclusion that they would like to make a peace offering towards us. More specifically you."

"Me? But I've done nothing to deserve such a thing," the brunette replied. "I didn't do anything that would bring about peace."

"Actually, you've given us a necessary reason to finally bring it about," Michael cut in. "If it wasn't for you, Irina and Xenovia might not be here. They are two very devoted followers of the Lord, even after learning of his death. And for you to risk your life and save them, two individuals who aren't even apart of your faction, I couldn't thank you enough. You have shown that it is possible to spread kindness even as we stood on the grounds of a possible war."

"Ah- But still, I am undeserving. Anyone would have done the same in my shoes," he replied, waving off the praise.

"Even still, we in Heaven wish to give you this gift. Please accept it," the archangel insisted.

Issei was going to retort again but before he could an elbow jabbed him from his left. He looked to see Ladora looking back at him. The dragon nodded his head without a word. The boy easily understood and sighed with his hands up.

"Alright alright. I accept, Lord Michael. Thank you."

The blonde man smiled and rose from his seat. He held out his hands before a bright lightened shined from both his palms. It came and went quickly, revealing a large sword in its place. It was a European-styled sword with a reddish-purple grip and a golden hilt with stylized crosses at the edges of the guard. It radiated holy magic throughout the room, almost as if it was searching.

Issei and Ladora's eyes widened the moment the sword appeared. Something else flooded from the blades aura and it reacted with their instincts, telling them to be careful around it.

Michael saw this and smiled apologetically. "Maybe I should have warned you first. This is Ascalon, one of the holy swords that we have kept safe for quite some time. It has dragon slaying properties after slaying a powerful dragon in the past, so I can understand your caution towards it."

"Lord Michael...I could never accept such a gift. Even if you say so, I couldn't-"

"Hyoudou-kun, the council and myself decided this. If anyone is worthy enough to wield it, you are the one."

The Pawn was still hesitant. He looked to Ladora and Kuisha, both nodded. He then turned to Serafall who smiled and nodded as well. Then he looked across the room to the two exorcists. They nodded as well. He looked back to Michael, who was still smiling that gentle smile.

"Please, Hyoudou-kun, accept our gift."

Issei swallowed hard. He slowly moved across the room, his eyes on the blade the entire time. Each step he could feel the blades power pulse, filling him with its warm radiance.

Upon reaching it, he could see his reflection in the steel. The dragon slaying properties still made him wary but other than that it almost felt as if the blade was inviting him to touch it. Its holy aura made no disdain towards his devil traits and, in fact, almost seemed to welcome him as a whole.

He slowly reached his hand out, hovering it over the hilt. A bead of sweat slipped down his face, showing how nervous he actually was. The blade was yearning for his touch as the aura seemed to beg him in.

 _'Ddraig...?'_

 _ **[Focus on the blade. It will respond in kind.]**_

It was a short reply. Issei shut his eyes and took the chance, grabbing the blade. The Boosted Gear shined onto his arm and began to glow a bright green light. Ascalon responded with a bright light of its own, filling the room with a clash of green and gold. Issei could feel the wavelength of the sword and matched it with his own, feeling as the powers communicated with one another.

It wasn't long after that the lights slowly started to die down. The sword vanished from the boy's grip and the gem on the back of the Boosted Gear glowed in an arrangement of colors. Then the blade appeared, attached to the gauntlet.

"They...They merged!" Issei revealed once he opened his eyes. Everyone else followed suit and marveled at the combination. They all could feel the new wave of power surging through Issei and could tell that he had become stronger from it.

"Well then, my job has now been completed," Michael spoke up. The group turned to him. "We have discussed all that we can for now and I have fulfilled my task of giving Ascalon to you. Now we must take our leave and prepare for the meeting. So I must say, farewell."

With that, the angel and exorcists made their way to the door. Michael was the first to leave, Irina waving to Issei once more and Xenovia following suit, albeit awkwardly. The trio then left, closing the door and leaving the devils alone.

"That went well," Serafall spoke up first. She stretched with a happy hum, sighing as she relaxed into the chair. "Dragon-kun, you've really made an impression on everyone, huh?"

"Eheheh..." Issei could only chuckle bashfully and scratch the back of his head with his free hand.

"It is truly amazing that you were given a holy sword," Kuisha added. She stepped closer, being careful to hold the blade in her hands. Ladora also came closer but didn't touch as he was still cautious of the dragon slaying undertone the blade emitted.

"Guess that means I'm lucky, huh..." Issei said.

"I'd say you're special, Ise," the Queen retorted. Issei blushed at the comment and averted his gaze from the young woman.

"T-Thanks, Kui-chi."

"Mouuu, so cute~," Serafall gushed from the side. Both devils in question blushed and avoided making eye contact with anyone. It only made the Maou's smile grow wider. "Well, we'll save the teasing for later. For now everyone get some rest. We must prepare for the meeting so chop-chop."

""Hai!""

 **Alright, hope you enjoyed the read.**

 **Now, first things first. Everyone seems to have their concerns with the OC's. And here's where I'm going to break this down. These two are the only OC's I'll be introducing because even I don't like using them often. One I already planted the seeds for, the other will begin to be built soon. Both of them will not be joining Issei immediately as I have plans to build on their characters and actually make them relevant. For even in this story, with its bountiful source of options, most I have no plans to join with Issei OR they're just as underdeveloped as an OC would be. But not to fret as I am a man of compliance and I will make some accommodations for you lot.**

 **Next, Rias. The amount of reviews or PM's that I've received that want Rias to either suffer or submit to Issei is ridiculous. I say I don't want to bash her and the ideas you give makes it seem like that. She's not a main character in this story, half the focus won't be on her. The reason you like my story is because its unique and because I focus on characters outside the circle. So i won't focus on Rias and her regret for she has no reasoning besides a side arc for Issei. Period.**

 **Now, onto the next two reveals of Issei's peerage**

 _ **Issei's peerage:**_

 _ **Queen: Ingvild Leviathan**_

 _ **Bishops (x1): Alice Nakiri**_

 _ **Bishop (x1): ?**_

 _ **Rooks (x1): Rossweisse**_

 _ **Rooks (x1):**_

 _ **Knights (x2): Aria Lustfall (OC by Revan the Edgelord)**_

 _ **Pawns (x3): Arun (OC by Revan)**_

 _ **Pawns (x5): ?**_

 **There. Roseweisse is back and I shall integrate her back into the harem. Like i said, I'm a man of compliance. Now, the rest have been decided and will slowly be revealed. So be patient.**

 **With this, I have nothing more to say. Review, smile, eat a cookie.**

 **Ciao~**


	14. Act III: Life II

**Told you guys it was that one chapter. Now im tossing them out like hotcakes.**

 **But, to be frank, I'm a little pissed with a few responses but I'm not gonna voice or call out the individuals because I could give less of a fuck to care.**

 **However, the guest known as T mac, or whatevrr your name was, you know what you replied. I may suck but you swallow bitch!**

 **Anyways, on with the story.**

The day of the meeting had finally arrived. The Three Factions gathered at Kuoh Academy, the leaders making their way to the large meeting room at top floor. The faction's soldiers stood guard throughout the entire Academy filling the courtyard with angels, fallen, and devils. And a large barrier, much stronger than Sona and her peerage's, was erected around the school not allowing anyone in or out.

Inside the building, the groups walked down the halls, heading towards said meeting room. They could feel the tension and some couldn't help but feel nervous.

The first to arrive was Sirzechs. He had his fellow Devil King, Serafall Leviathan, at his side, looking as perky and easy going as always. His trusted Queen, Grayfia, also stood close behind them, standing as the escort to her King. Along with her were the escorts of Serafall; Kuisha, Issei, and Ladora. The three stood close to the Queen of Lucifer, a professional and monotone atmosphere about them as well.

That was excluding the hand holding between the Queen and Pawn of Sairaorg. Issei had discussed with her and the Rook of his nervousness and anxiety since returning to his hometown, following Ddraig's advice. The young woman was more than happy to offer him a gesture of comfort. So they stood very close, fingers intertwined. The dragonkin offered his comfort as well with a hand on his fellow devil's shoulder. It was enough to say the trio had become quite close.

Rias and her peerage, as well as Sona and her Queen, Tsubaki, stood at a wall not too far off from the trio.

The heiress of Gremory never took her eyes off her former Pawn since she walked into the room, and the moment she caught sight of his hand holding with the Queen's, her heart felt a small twinge of pain. Regret surfaced once more inside her and she started to question herself once more. Issei did his best to pay her no mind, keeping a professional air about him as he discussed light topics with his two companions. All the while staying under the gaze of Rias and her peerage.

Next to arrive was Azazel and his lone escort. The fallen angel was dressed in a long burgundy trench coat with black belts around his abdominal, arms, and wrists. He also had grey pants and black shoes, with a necklace just for added flare.

Behind him his bodyguard stood, leaning against the wall without a care in the world. The boy was in his late teens with silver hair and hazel eyes. He wore a dark green V-neck shirt with a high-collared black leather jacket over it. With it were burgundy jeans with a silver chain and black leather chaps with three bands encircling his right calf, and black shoes with black buckles.

It had been revealed, by Serafall to Issei, that the boy, Vali, was the one to defeat Kokabiel in the end. He was the White Dragon Emperor and Issei's fated rival. But with all the important business that transpired, the brunette had been unable to see him until the moment he walked in.

Upon first eye contact, a fire could be seen in both teens eyes. It was easy to discern that both dragons first meeting with one another wasn't a good one. Though it was to be expected seeing as the duo were destined to fight one another. But even the weilders themselves seem to have a personal connection to their rival.

The last to arrive was Michael. Behind him, Irina and Xenovia sat as escorts. The former had her Excalibur Mimic strapped to her side while the latter held Durandal over her back.

The leaders took to their seats at a round table. And with that, all parties had arrived and the meeting could commence.

"Now that everyone is accounted for, I'll say the preconditions for the meeting. The people present here acknowledge the most important event and forbidden subject? And uphold their word to keep what is said here to be truthful?" Sirzechs spoke up first, looking at the entire room carefully.

Everyone had nodded their heads. "Then we may proceed."

As the meeting began the leaders bounced around a few topics, speaking of each other as if they were old time friends. There would be a few light chuckles and small banter. Issei knew it as a way to ease into the more important subjects. He could feel everyone's tension in the room, seeing as the stakes were high, but with the leaders charisma and jokes of one another, the brunette could feel the heavy air lighten bit by bit.

Once it was deemed time, the reports on the Kokabiel incident were called forth.

"Alright, now to discuss the main topic that brings all of us together," Sirzechs announced with closed eyes. "Rias and Sona, if you would please give the report that was received by all parties."

"Ah-! Yes, Lucifer-sama." The heiress was caught off guard, having been watching Issei the entire time. But she snapped from her stupor and turned to face the room, now focused elsewhere.

She made sure to give a full summary of the event, not missing a single detail. She spoke of the initial attack, the fused Excaliburs, the mentioning of God's death, the arrival of Sairaog's servants, the battle, and the arrival of the Hakuyuukou and defeat of Kokabiel.

With each detail, the leaders each had different reactions upon the matter. Sirzechs and Serafall were upset and concerned over the matter as a whole. The fact their sisters were attacked and they were unable to do nothing was very worrisome for both Devil Kings. And with each detail of how he toyed with them, it made the Maous wonder if they should have the princesses return to the Underworld or possibly leave someone there who could protect them.

Michael had a sadden expression, hearing how corrupted his former brother had become. Kokabiel and he weren't close but had a well enough relationship in Heaven. But once the former angel got a taste for war...he never had been the same. And it seemed that the very desire he fell for was also the reason for his inevitable downfall.

And Azazel, he was smiling. It wasn't positive in any way, in fact, it was out of embarrassment. It was his fault for letting Kokabiel run free. Now, because of his carelessness for his underlings he, as the Governor-General, had to sit there, in a meeting room, and fix what thin thread the factions had for a ceasefire. He'd much rather continue his research but Shemhazai would never let him hear the end of it if he skipped out. So here he was, playing damage control due to his lack of being a leader.

After she finished with the departure of Vali and Kokabiel, Rias stepped back before Sona cosigned on the review.

"Thank you," Sirzechs said, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

"Great job girls! Levi-tan is so proud of you!" Serafall added with a big smile.

"Kuisha, do you or your party have anything to add?" The redheaded Maou asked.

The Queen stepped forward, momentarily separating herself from Issei. "No sir, the report is accurate and correct. All points are valid and we agree with the report as well." She then stepped back and returned her hand to the Pawn's.

"Alright. Now then, Azazel, what do you have to say about the report given?" Sirzechs now turned his attention to the fallen angel. Everyone's eyes also followed.

With an intrepid smile, Azazel sat back in his seat and folded his arms. "Regarding the incident a few days back, Kokabiel kept quiet to the other leaders, as well as myself, the Governor, and acted independently. His punishment was enforced and he has been eternally frozen in the deepest part of hell, Cocytus. The explanation for that was written in the material that was forwarded to you. That is all."

Michael was the one to speak up next. "I have read said report and know that you, yourself, haven't intend to cause trouble. Am I correct?" Azazel smirked at this and closed his eyes.

"I have no want or need for war. I am a simple collector nowadays and have no desire to fight," the Seraph replied before opening his eyes once more. Sirzechs rose a brow, now fully focusing his attention on the seraph of the Grigori.

"Enlighten us on this matter then, Azazel, why have you been gathering owners of Sacred Gears for the past decades? At first I thought you were gathering humans, and attempting to augment your battle potential. I even anticipated you to wage war against heaven or us but..." The Maou drifted off to which the leader of Heaven quickly picked up on.

"Yes, no matter how much time passed, you didn't wage war on any of us. When I heard you got hold of the Hakuyuukou, I was enveloped by a strong wariness," he stated, motioning over to Vali. He had every right to be wary of the boy. At such a young age he was able to take down a fallen angel leader with ease. "Even the devils brought me concern with the Sekiryuutei at first. But that was quickly crushed upon our initial meeting which is also in our reports."

"I have read them as well. And for the first concern, I am only researching the Sacred Gears. I'm too interested in the world now to dare try and change it. Or wage war. Do you guys not trust the Grigori at all?" Azazel replied with the shake of his head. He obviously didn't like that the other two factions were so wary of him. "Anyways, let's just get on about peace. That's the hidden motive to why we're all here, isn't it?"

Few in the room's eyes widened. The only ones seemingly left out were Rias and Sona and their servants. The others in the room tensed slightly, some even narrowing their eyes. Those were talks kept between Heaven and the devils. The fallen angel grinned while resting his head against his fist.

"We do admit that Sirzechs, Serafall, and I have discussed the topic. But with the attack, it almost seemed the Grigori was against it until we received your report," Michael admitted.

"It's a good thing you have. We are much too old to still be fighting over problems of the past that didn't involve even half of us. However, it is not truly our place to completely agree on this. Two important figures in this room have the ability to go against this treaty seeing as they were original causes of the ceasefire. Without their agreement, peace can't be fully achieved."

Everyone in the room knew of the two powers and looked towards the figures in question. Vali and Issei had a quick moment of eye contact and the fire burning inside hadn't quelled at all since the start of the meeting. In fact, the smugness of the White Dragon and aegis of the Red Dragon only seemed to make the fire burn brighter until everyone in the room felt it.

"Well, Hakuryuukou, what do you say?" Michael asked.

"My dream is to fight strong opponents, nothing more," Vali answered with a carefree shrug, casting his eyes away from Issei. This made Azazel chuckle and he glanced towards the silverette from the corner of his eye.

"You can still do that without causing a war, Vali," he replied and received another shrug in response. "And you, Sekiryuutei?" His attention turned to the other Heavenly Dragon wielder. Issei was instantly put on the spotlight. He unconsciously tightened his grip, feeling nervous from the sudden focus of the room.

The boy scratched his cheek as he chuckled awkwardly with a tense smile. "To be honest, I still don't understand it all too well. Currently, all I wish to do is protect my friends and grow stronger. Both with my bonds and with my power." His feelings sounded truthful and he honestly didn't seem to be against the idea of peace. Issei looked to Kuisha, who was smiling supportively. She rubbed the back of his palm with her thumb, feeling as it slowly relaxed his grip.

But still, he was a huge factor and could become a massive threat in the future if his power grew out of control. They needed to know a precise answer so they could prepare for the worst if it ever came. Not that any of the leaders thought Issei would want such a thing. But they had to cover every possible outcome.

"You are one of those who has the power to change multiple worlds, Sekiryuutei. If you don't make your choice then it would be difficult for those standing on top of each of the powers, such as myself, to move without looking over our shoulders," Azazel replied. He was very adamant with achieving peace. His reasons different from others, however as long as the outcome was the same he would try his best to ease the burden.

"Issei Hyoudou, let me explain it in a very simple manner. If we fight, then there will be a need for you to also fight at the front lines, seeing as you can stand with the leaders before you. If that happens, you will have to fight and defend those you consider allies and friends everyday. And that will also place them in the way of danger as well." This got the brunette's attention. His eyes widened and he stepped slightly in front of Kuisha. Almost no one, except Kuisha and Rias, noticed. Issei also cast a quick glance towards Rias's peerage, more specifically Asia. For the first time in a long time they shared eye contact and the Pawn could still see the nun he had saved from the Church. The same innocent and kind girl he risked everything to save. She still had that apologetic look from the day he left and he could still feel the need to protect her now that he had come face her once more. He didn't blame her, he realized that she was only doing her duty as a servant. He knew that all too well from his first few days being a devil.

"If there's peace, everyone would be safe, would they not?" He asked the black winged seraph. Azazel's grin widened.

"Yes, that's correct. If we make peace, then there won't be a need to fight. If that happens, then what is left is the most important. Continuation of the species and prosperity. In other words, you could indulge in procreating with the Queen of Bael who's hand you haven't let go of. How's that? Is it easy to understand now?"

Azazel's grin was a bit too mischievous. Kuisha and Issei's faces were bright red, now having been put out for the entire room to know. Their eyes quickly fell to the floor and the accuser's laughter filled the silence.

"It would seem I've hit the nail on the head. So what do you say, Sekiryuutei?"

"..."

"...I-I would prefer peace..." The Pawn replied softly. Everyone heard it.

"-!" Kuisha's sharp inhale followed as she tightened her grip. Her blush grew darker and she found herself fascinated by the floor.

Rias, on the other hand, had a deep frown on her face. She hadn't expected the Governor to call out the two for their display of affection, but he had. And when he questioned them on it, Issei admitted that he wanted to continue what she could see was a developing relationship. And it didn't sit right with the heiress at all.

Something inside her didn't like what she was seeing. It left a bad taste in her mouth at seeing Issei happy after leaving. He was suppose to be weak and worthless. Her gut feeling told her that he was a mistake. But here, in front of her, he had proved that wrong. He grew stronger, created new bonds with a new family, defeated a Cadre-class angel, and now was starting to grow closer to another woman!

Why? Why hadn't she stuck by him? Would he be this strong if she didn't trade him? Would he have those feelings for her as he does the Queen? Would the bonds between him and her peerage have been stronger than before? Would he be happy if he had stayed?

Sadly, Rias knew the answer to none of these. And it actually began to pain her that he was achieving so much more. She regret her decision more and more each day but now, standing so close to him and witnessing these changes, she truly didn't know what to think. So all she could do was stare at him, almost envious.

Maybe, just maybe...

"Buchou, are you..." Kiba had leaned forward and placed a hand on his King's shoulder. He watched her the entire time and could see her distraught.

Before he could finish his sentence, a quick shift was felt in the air. There was no warning, or no hesitation. Less than a second was all it took and not a single person in the room had been able to react to the sudden feeling that flooded the room.

Time had been frozen then and there.

The leaders were all unaffected, as well as Grayfia, Xenovia, Kiba, Vali, Issei, Kuisha, Rias, and Irina. But everyone and everything else around them had stopped moving completely. The clock that sat on the far wall to the right no longer ticked, proving their point further.

"Eh-? Akeno? Muruyama? Katase?" Rias spoke as she turned to her peerage members. None of them responded.

"So, they made their move..." Azazel suddenly spoke grimly.

"Who?" Serafall asked. Most of the room, those who were unfrozen, turned to the fallen angel, again. He looked towards the window and sighed.

"...Khaos Brigade." There were shocked gasps, while others narrowed their eyes.

"From the looks of things, they used the Bishop of little Gremory," Azazel analyzed. Rias and Kiba were shocked. "Forcing the half-vampire into Balance Breaker, very sneaky. And with every passing minute it'll grow stronger till we're all frozen in time."

"There is a Sacred Gear that strong!?" Issei asked surprised.

"Yes, Forbidden Balor View. It's power is immeasurable despite the users lack of control over it. It is why the boy was sealed by Sirzechs himself," the Grigori leader explain.

Azazel made his way to the window and looked outside. Everyone followed to see all the factions forces frozen as well.

A large magic circle laid above the school, multitudes of people dressed in black robes floating down into the main courtyard. They all wore hoods, a large eye on the front, and evil grins on their faces.

"How could they have gotten through the barrier?" Kiba asked.

"We were betrayed..." Sirzechs answered with deep reservation.

"What?! Betrayed?" Issei repeated.

"Yes, there wouldn't be a way for the group to be able to teleport straight in without someone notifying and sneaking them through. And it has to be someone on the inside who was able to open a gateway," Michael added.

"What do we do then?" Issei asked.

"First, we need to get the little vampire boy back under our control. Problem with that is that those pesky terrorist went as far as to cut off our teleportation, so getting there won't be easy," Azazel said as he watched the enemies tear through their immobile forces with ease.

"I could just kill the vampire if you want. Blowing up that little school building should be a-"

"No, we don't want to start off on a bad note, Vali," Azazel chastised, looking back at the grinning boy.

"If you have that much time on your hands, why not use it on those magicians out there? Issei Hyoudou, you should go too," Azazel spoke up. "I'm sure having the Hakuryuukou and Sekiryuutei out there will surely put a hole through their defenses, wouldn't you say?"

Vali and Issei shared another death glare. But this one eventually settled as they simultaneously closed their eyes and sighed. The dragons silently agreed and nodded their heads, seeing no point in sticking around to gaze at each other. Plus it was a good way to let off the steam they had been building towards one another.

 **[Vanishing Dragon! Balance Breaker!]**

 _ **[Welsh Dragon! Balance Breaker!]**_

Both Heavenly Dragons voices boomed before the duo dawned their Scale Mail armor. They looked to each other before turning and looking out the window. It was a second of silence before they both burst through to the outside.

Sounds of explosions sounded immediately and the bodies of mages began to fall. A few others were obliterated as a few were blasted by a Dragon Shot or incinerated by Vali's magic. It was a complete massacre as the two dragons were making quick work of the mages.

"Those two are actually exceeding my original assumption," Azazel praised with a smirk.

"It would seem they are in competition whilst creating an opening for us," Sirzechs explained, smiling himself. It was obvious both leaders were prideful in seeing the Heavenly Dragon of their faction dominate the terrorists outside.

"Yes well, we still have to wait for the rescue of the Bishop before we can begin our counter attack," Michael spoke up, being the man of neutrality.

"So, how will we save Gasper?" Kiba asked, bringing everyone back into the room.

"What about castling?" Rias suggested. This caught everyone's attention.

"What's castling?" Irina asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Castling is when you trade the Kings position with the Rook piece in one move," Kiba explained. "We do have the Rook piece in the clubroom, if I'm not mistaken. Buchou, take me with you. Gasper needs us as we're the only ones able to calm him down."

"Yes. He's my Bishop and we need to save him."

"Rias, I'll send you two back then," Sirzechs said to which the younger sister nodded.

Azazel then stepped forward to the two. He fished something out of his pocket before handing it to the blonde Knight. "Once you secure the vampire, put this on him. It'll bring his power back under control and turn time forward."

Kiba looked to see it was a bracelet. He clenched it tight in his hand before he placed it in his pocket. He had to step up. After witnessing Issei's power twice, he realized he had been left behind. This was his one chance to do something. Asia was right in her accusation towards Rias, she was too soft on them. They had to work hard, just as Issei had, otherwise they would die.

"Alright. I'll began the trade then." The Gremory magic circle appeared beneath the Knight and King's feet before shining and quickly fading. Once it did, it revealed a white rook piece, sitting where they once stood. "Good luck."

-XOXOXOXOX-

A few moments of waiting passed as the large scale, one sided battle roared on outside. The screams of hundreds of magicians were heard and the source of blue and red lights were seen flashing across the sky. The leaders watched analytically while the teens could watch in awe at the power the two dragons unleashed.

Suddenly, a new source of magic filled the room. Everyone easily noticed it, due to the power being flared as if it was trying to intimidate them, and they turned to the source. From a magic circle similar to the one outside, a young woman stepped out with a wicked grin.

She was a tall bespectacled woman with a voluptuous figure. She had dark skin with long brown hair tied into a bun. She wore a dress that was extremely low cut, and had a high slit on both legs sides, which exposed a large portion of her breasts, thighs, and behind.

"Katerea Leviathan," Sirzechs announced without a hint of friendliness.

"What brings you here?" Serafall asked seriously. The woman laughed heartily before she spun her staff and rose it.

"I'm here to bring the first steps of chaos and destruction," she replied as if it was obvious. Her staff lit up, catching the groups immediate attention.

 _ **DDDDOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN**_

An explosion destroyed the entire room, smoke and fire now rising as the initial attack settled. The newcomer fell back to the sky, marveling at her power. She barely used a fraction and yet she had rocked the very foundation under her targets. While it wasn't enough to kill them, they were sure to have been shaken.

When the smoke cleared, it showed everyone inside of a barrier, quickly set up by Michael, Azazel, and Sirzechs. Serafall and Grayfia had also taken quick action and covered the kids who were still frozen in time. All around, everyone was safe and unharmed.

"Haha, so the three great powers put up a combined defensive barrier. How beautiful. As well as pathetic," Katerea mocked.

From inside the barrier, everyone could see she easily destroyed a good portion of the school. They moved to the school grounds outside and released the barrier.

"Why are you doing this, Katerea?" Serafall asked. The brunette growled at the female Maou.

"Serafall," she spoke lowly. "You stole my title and now question my motives? A pretty little mouth like yours should be blasted off. I'll be sure to kill you and take my title back," the old Leviathan declared.

"It's safe to assume we're not in a devils coup d'etat?" Azazel asked, making his presence known.

"No, more like a world domination scheme," Michael answered. The terrorist then began to laugh once more with a large grin on her face.

"Michael hit the nail on the head," the brunette congratulated sarcastically. "I will kill all of you here and overthrow these corrupted parties. No longer shall devils be mocked as we shall rule Heaven, Hell, and everything in between. We, as the true Maous shall reform this decaying and destructive realm into how we see fit from this point forward."

"You know, that's similar to those cliche lines villains use before they're defeated by the good guys," Azazel joked as he stepped towards the terrorist.

He unleashed his wings and began to fly up to the height of Katerea. When he came face to face with her the devil could only openly laugh as if she was tickled.

"You have jokes, Governor-General. It seems you want to fall at my hands first, huh?"

"If you're willing to settle for little ole me~." Azazel replied with a smirk.

The woman quickly lost her own as she settled for glaring instead. The air between the two became thick as they begun to release their power. The amount they exuded told everyone in the area that things were going to get serious. And anyone in the way would only get caught in the ceasefire. When they released the first burst any mage within the zone was killed instantly.

"So be it. I'll kill you, then the rest of you will be next!" Katerea announced as she readied her staff.

Azazel summoned a spear of light in return and held it to his side. "Then lets get to it, shall we?"

 **First and foremost, thanks for reading. Second, I know what you're thinking. Cliffhangers and not enough of that sweet eye candy Issei. But, I shall explain to the best of my abilities why this chapter flowed a bit differently.**

 **The reason being Issei isnt a main piece in this chapter. The story is about him but I wanted to set the stage better for his shining moments next chapter. So be patient. The meeting is important as a whole and while Ise has his moments it wasnt all about him. But I will be sure to continue in the next chapter and give you all the sweet sexy boy you all have hopefully fallen for through this tale.**

 **Next thing, Rias. Uhhhh, yeah, she now regrets her stupid decision of trading what was a Longinus user. So I have now planted the seeds for that.**

 **Moving on quickly, there's Issei and Kuisha's relationship. I gave it a bigggg push this chapter as the time will near for them to solidify that. Dont worry, I wont forget Raynare and Rias's impact on him and address those as I have been subtly. So hold your knickers you hooligans.**

 **And, finally, onto the next reveal of Issei's peerage**

 _ **Issei's peerage:**_

 _ **Queen: Ingvild Leviathan**_

 _ **Bishops (x1): Alice Nakiri**_

 _ **Bishop (x1): Asia Argento**_

 _ **Rooks (x1): Rossweisse**_

 _ **Rooks (x1):**_

 _ **Knights (x2):**_

 _ **Pawns (x8):**_

 **There. Asia is still going to be apart of Issei's peerage. How? Find out, I already showed something in the chapter Dammit. Now get off my back about if she is or isnt. And before anyone asks about Ravel, she is being set up for Issei's wife so I feel she would be the least likely candidate to join his peerage. Sue me.**

 **With this, I have nothing more to say. Review and duck a fuck.**

 **Ciao~**


	15. Act III: Life III

**Oi, your senpai is back! Finally, the next chapter and the one im sure a lot of you have been anticpating for one thing or another. I've only got a few things to say at the beginning due to certain flow of this chapter so I'll make it short so you can read on.**

 **First, Rias. There are so many things ive heard on what to do with her. Kill her, enslave her, have Issei get back with her. My answer to this is no to all three. Due to the personality I'm building for Issei, all three of these will not work. He is not thw type of character I want doing any of these, period.**

 **Think that's about it. Anything else is in the bottom AN. So go there afterwards. Enjoy.**

 _ **Boom!**_

Katerea fell back from her and Azazel's exchange. She had put a large amount of power into her attack and yet the Grigori leader was unfazed. She grit her teeth, angered at the fact that the Seraph looked to be taunting her.

"It would seem you're low on juice. Tell me, did you really think you stood a chance of taking all of us on? Even now, when you can't seem to stand against little ole me?" Azazel spoke with a grin. Yeah, he was definitely taunting.

"Shut your mouth, Azazel! I have more than enough power to kill everyone standing here!" The brunette shot back. Fringes of hair fell onto her face, breaking the last bit of regalia she had. Now she looked no more than a deranged devil. Her eyes were wide, her teeth were grit with such anger, it was hard for her to uphold what little prestige she had left.

She held up her hand and a magic circle appeared in it. In a quick flash a jar was seen in its place. The fallen angel narrowed his eyes, not at the jar but at what was inside of it.

There, perfectly coiled and slumbering, a black snake sat inside. It took a second before it opened its eyes, revealing purple orbs that seemed void and empty. It rose its head and glanced around before it leveled its gaze at the Governor, himself. It released a sharp hiss, showing off its long and jagged fangs that dripped a purplish glowing liquid.

The fallen could feel an ominous power coming from the reptile. It was something foreign, and yet familiar, to him. He felt that he knew what that creature was but couldn't quite place his finger on it. And what made it more confusing was why such a thing was in the hands of Katerea.

"Hahaha, I see this has caught your attention," the Leviathan cackled, motioning to the jar. "It is the final piece that will allow me to bury you and the other falsified leaders who dare stand against me!"

The woman popped the cork that sealed the jar. The snake didn't take its eyes off Azazel as she lifted it and began to open her mouth. The leader rose a brow at the realization that she planned to swallow the reptile. The fallen let his curiosity get the better of him as he made very little attempts to try and stop her. Instead, he opted to reach for the specialized dagger stashed in a sheath under his coat. It looked like he would need Fafnir if things were going to get out of hand. And there was no telling due to the endless abyss feeling that the snake gave off the longer it stared at him.

"Hah!"

 _ **SHATTER!**_

The sudden shout sounded throughout the battlefield. Shortly following was the sound of glass breaking and a hiss of pain. Both Azazel and Katerea were surprised when a needle of green energy shot past the latter and broke the jar in her hand. The snake had the needle embedded in its eye as it writhed in the air before bursting into particles of black.

Both leaders turned to the source of the attack to see the red Scale Mail cladded devil. He had his arm outstretched, giving the obvious conclusion that he was the assailant. He had no idea what he destroyed but a feeling overcame him during his rampage against the mages. Some deep feeling told him to turn, just in time to see Katerea uncork the jar. Once she did every fiber of his body screamed for him to destroy it as the power radiating off the creature sent a shiver up his spine.

The Leviathan switched from shock to furious the moment her eyes landed on the boy. Any last hope that she had of defeating the leaders was now gone. Her mana was just about depleted and she still hadn't taken out the Grigori leader, still leaving Michael and the Maous left. That snake was suppose to be her ultimate boost that would allow her to obliterate the city itself, but now that was impossible.

"Heh, nice job, kid," Azazel said with a toothy grin. "I would have liked to see what that snake would do but you also just saved me the trouble of having to get serious."

Katerea growled as her focus switched between the Grigori leader and the Sekiryuutei. She couldn't decide which she was seething at more. The former, who was openly mocking her, or the latter, who got in her way.

 _ **CRACK! CRASH!**_

The sounds of shattering filled everyone's ears. They looked up to see the massive gateway crack before breaking just as the jar did. The air surrounding the group began to flow again and the odd feeling, from when time stopped, disappeared. It was now obvious that Kiba and Rias had freed Gasper. It was further proven when the trio and Koneko appeared outside the old school building through a magic circle, revealing that they could teleport once more.

All of the ones who were frozen were unfrozen and many looked confused as they looked around. But once it all became clear the remainder of the armies, as well as those from the meeting room, took action to begin a counter attack.

The remaining mages were quick to try and take out as many as they could but it was all useless. The forces behind quickly began to overwhelm them with little effort. Many of the terrorists were either dying or surrendering, leaving what little was left to attempt to escape. But there was no way out and the collapsing force of the three great powers brought down every last mage.

Panic began to set in on the brunette Leviathan. Both her trump cards had been stopped and her remaining forces were being decimated by the Three Factions.

All of her hard work and planning was starting to crumble before her very eyes. She would be left with nothing, captured, and interrogated into revealing what she knew about Khaos Brigade. She couldn't let that happen-no, she wouldn't let it happen.

"Katerea, its over. You've lost so give it up," Azazel spoke up.

The devil clenched her fist and grit her teeth. It was victory or death for her.

"I'll never surrender!" She shouted. The Leviathan turned and threw her hands out, stretching them as if they were some kind of rubber, and wrapped her arms around the Grigori leader. "I don't need to live for our goals to succeed! As long as I can take one of you with me, that's more than enough to welcome death!"

"Hmm, while death is okay for you..." Azazel paused momentarily before summoning a light spear. He sliced through the appendages with ease, shocking Katerea at the lack of fear in her opponents eyes. "...I still have a lot left to do. And your little parlor trick has punched your one way ticket to the other side. Farewell."

With that, he threw the spear, piercing right through the terrorist's skull. There was no time for her to scream as she was vaporized within the same second. Azazel folded his arms and sighed.

"If you had spent more time training instead of seeking vengeance, maybe you'd have stood a better chance," he chastised to the fallen devil. There was no way for her to hear him but he simply wanted to talk out loud.

Issei had watched the final moments with wide eyes. He was in awe at the power the fallen Seraph possessed. It was on a totally different level from Kokabiel and even that terrorist devil was stronger than the ten winged warmonger. He could sense the power leaking off of them and the potency coming from the Governor showed Issei he was no match for him at all. It was actually scary that such a lazy and nonchalant man had that much power at his disposal.

"Hey kid," Azazel called out. The angel had his back to the boy but could feel his eyes on him.

"Uh...yes!?" Issei snapped in reply, caught off guard.

"What you did saved me a lot of annoyances. My curiosity took over and could have endangered others. You knew that snake was dangerous, didn't you?" The leader asked, turning to face the Pawn.

"Ano... It gave off this weird power. Something dark and...endless. It was like staring into the abyss without having to look at it," Issei replied, scratching the back of his head. "I felt something...ominous once she summoned that thing. My body kind of moved on its own and destroyed it."

"Hmm..."

Azazel cupped his chin in his hand. He closed his eyes and hummed in thought. It had to have been his instinct. But for such a young an inexperienced child to have that kind of instinct in the midst of fighting all those mages. The Governor's curiosity began to peak but for the Sekiryuutei that continued to amaze him.

 _ **BOOM!**_

In the midst of his thoughts, a powerful blast struck Azazel in his back, sending him into the ground. Issei's eyes widened before he turned to see Vali as the assailant. The Hakuuryukoi hovered above him, hand outstretched.

"Vali, bad boy. How could you?" Azazel asked, pulling himself from the small crater he created. He sounded the least bit hurt and, actually, had a look of expectancy on his face. Had he already known of Vali's betrayal?

"Sorry Azazel, things looked a little more fun on this side," the silverette replied.

"Is that so..?" The angel asked, dusting himself off. He stood from the crater and leapt into the sky, coming up to level with the betrayer. "Let me ask you this then, the one you're working for...is it Ophis?"

Everyone had shocked looks at the question. It wasn't possible for the Ouroboros dragon to involve itself with such trivial matters. What reasoning could make that dragon come out and create a terrorist organization?

"Yes, Ophis is the one who leads Khaos Brigade. She gathers the strongest from the ends of the earth, all with one goal in mind," Vali explained with ease. So it wasn't a kept secret on who lead them.

"It wouldn't happen to be a conquering kind of thing, right?"

"No, neither her nor I have such desires for any of that," Vali answered swiftly. "Our dream has aligned for defeating something much bigger than you and I. Nothing more."

"I see. With how you worked with Katerea, and how you brought her here of all places and time, it would have been a calculated guess that you wanted your title back as well."

The group's eyes widened once more. "Wait, he's a descendant of a former Devil King?" Serafall voiced everyone's thoughts.

"Mm, I am Vali Lucifer. Great grandson to the former Great King of the Underworld, Lucifer. But I am a mere half-blood, born of a human mother, which allows me to also be the White Dragon Emperor."

Vali then turned to Issei. Both entered a staredown as their eyes bore into one another. Those around them could see the fire building up again as their helmets did little to hide the growing flames between the two. There moment of ceasefire was now over with the defeat of the mages.

"I have no desire to gain my title back. All I want to do is fight and become the strongest White Dragon Emperor to ever live."

"Hmph, hiding behind that woman while she did all the work doesn't back your claim," Issei shot back. His eyes were narrowed and his teeth grit. No one could see his face but his tone and body language told a thousand words.

"I had no reason to assist her as it was her own choice to do something foolish."

"Wasn't she your comrade though? Why hide when she at least stood her ground to the very end!?"

"I would not allow her foolish actions to affect me. Her rash actions warranted death," Vali said back, an ice cold glare leveled at the brunette. It only brightened the fire in Issei's eyes.

"So you'd let your comrades die..? You could have done anything to help and yet you sat there and did nothing..."

Flashes of white began to appear in Issei's mind. The first showed Issei when he was stabbed by Raynare. It showed his last moments before the sudden flash of red came that was Rias saving him.

 _ **Flash!**_

The second was Issei holding Asia, just after she died. Tears were flowing down his face as he cried out for her.

 _ **Flash!**_

The third was during the Rating Game. It was when Koneko was blasted by Yubelluna in a surprise attack. He held her injured body, fear for her safety evident on his face just before she disappeared in his arms.

 _ **Flash!**_

The fourth was Akeno. She was defeated by her fellow Queen, having lost by Phenex tears. The pained and hurt look on her face as she fell from the sky was still in the back of Issei's mind.

 _ **Flash!**_

The fifth was Kiba. The moment Yubelluna struck again just after they defeated a large portion of Raiser's remaining pieces.

 _ **Flash!**_

The final was at the end of Kokabiel and his fight. The look of fear and horror on Kuisha's face when the war-monger drove his spear through Issei. It was a look he never wanted to see again. One he never wanted anyone to make ever again.

These memories were constant reminders of how he was weak. How he was unable to save those he thought of as friends and family. The ones who he let down because he didn't push himself.

Issei realized the reason he was so angry at Vali. It was because he had the power to do something and didn't. The Pawn growled as he could see Vali didn't care who got hurt, so long as he achieved what he sought for.

It made Issei sick.

The brunette grit his teeth tighter and felt the anger building inside of him more and more. The Hakuuryukoi spoke so casually about things that put peoples lives at stake. What if one of those casualties were Ladora? Or Asia? Or Irina? Or any of his family? His mom or dad? Or...what if it was Kuisha...?

 _ **OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM**_

A deep rumbling sound filled the courtyard's silence. Everyone could feel the very grounds themselves vibrating from a sudden intrusion of a new force. Chunks of rock danced up and down while the trees surrounding the area began to shake back in forth in a manner unnatural.

Issei floated just above the ground, his head lowered and arms to his side. Green sparks of electricity began to dance around the boy. The dirt beneath his feet blowing out in rings around him.

"What is this feeling...?" Sirzechs asked aloud. Everyone was thinking the same thing, their eyes glued to Issei.

 _ **Crk!**_

A crack appeared on the dragon armor.

 _ **Crk! Crk!**_

Two more followed behind it. One on the left gauntlet, just right of the green gem. The other forming across the helmet, between the eyes.

 _ **Crrrk!**_

The next one was a large crack that shot diagonally across his chestplate. It stretched from the ball of his shoulder down to just above his hip.

Everyone watched in silence. None of them could say a word even if they wanted to. The power that was coming from Issei had any form of speech caught in their throat. And the fact that his armor looked to be breaking under such a power increase was unheard of.

"...People lost their lives. So many people. Many you were suppose to call comrades..." Issei spoke, his voice a very scary calm.

Vali seemed unaffected by it. "Mere pawns to a bigger picture."

"...'A bigger picture', you say..?"

The silverette could feel the brunette's power rising higher. His smile got wilder, more excited, more exhilarated as he could feel his rivals emotions fueling the aura. He, too, couldn't help raising his at the anticipation of the massive fight about to ensue.

"Tell me, Vali. Does this 'bigger picture' have you in it..?" Issei asked ominously.

The fellow dragon's grin widened. He was ready. "Of course. Why wouldn't it?"

"..Because you're going to die here.."

It was then that Sirzechs eyes widened along with the other leaders. Azazel, on the other hand, couldn't help his curiosity light up again as stars twinkle in his eyes. His grin stretched from ear to ear as his anticipation made him very excited.

"Everyone get back!" The redheaded Maou shouted. No one argued and was quick to fall behind the leaders before they created another barrier.

"Onii-sama?" Rias whispered. She noticed the serious look on his face. More so than when Katerea first made her appearance. He wasn't as concerned with the deceased Leviathan as he was now with the inevitable battle between the two dragons.

"Rias, stay behind me. If you get too close, their auras will reduce you to nothing," he warned. The heiress said nothing and looked over to Issei once again.

The cracks were spreading more and more across his body and the lightning sparked longer and more frequently. Even though she was behind the powerful barrier, she could still feel the draconic energy swelling around her former Pawn. For him to have attained such a feat of power, Rias could say she understood how bad of a mistake she made.

"Issei..."

 _ **Crrrrkkkkkkk!**_

Fragments of the Scale Mail chipped out as the cracks grew. A bright green light shone through, blinding the group as the cracks extended. Issei held out his finger, pointing it at Vali, who's hands twitched with a readiness to finally fight.

"All of this for simple weaklings being sacrificed. I wonder if you'll get even stronger if I kill that blonde Bishop. Oh, or possibly that woman who seems close to you. Kuisha, right?"

The ground below Issei caved into a deep crater. The energy took a darker crimson color, now mixing with the green bolts.

"...You've guaranteed death..."

 ** _CRACK!_**

The green light enveloped Issei completely as his armor shattered into tiny shards. The backlash of energy shot across the entire courtyard, obliterating the school building until nothing remained. The grounds beneath him shot up in massive chunks, lifting up roots and pipes along with it. The barrier that surrounded the school cracked and shook but held together with what little strength it had left.

Amidst all of this, a lone Governor could be seen laughing. He stood inside his own barrier, looking at the explosion of energy with complete fascination. Never before had he witnessed such a thing before. No books, no matter the surplus amount he read, had any mentioning of such a thing before. Not even Vali, the projected strongest White Dragon Emperor, had achieved such an evolution in his Sacred Gear before. And, as such, his curiosity and anticipation for the final results matched that of the silverette who was a catalyst to call forth such a change in the brunette.

After thirty seconds, the light began to fade.

 _ **Pmph!**_

Vali had been unprepared for the attack. He had severely underestimated the speed and power of his opponent. His anticipation had clouded his judgement of the enemy. And his desire to fight left him without an actual plan or counterattack.

Looking down, Vali came face to face with the evolutionized Issei Hyoudou. The brunette had red scales on his cheek and neck. Few of his teeth looked sharper, giving him fangs, and his eyes were now slit like a reptile. His nails were also sharper, taking on a reptiles claws. His armor had completely disappeared and his shirt from the meeting was now shredded and wrapped around his waist by a few threads, leaving him with only his pants and shoes.

"This form...such power..." Vali said with genuine praise. Looking at him, the Pawn looked to be between evolutions, as if it was an incomplete form. And yet he had so much strength behind that one punch.

The silverette looked down. The spot where the brunette's punch landed had completely destroyed his armor. It was long after that something raced up his throat and the Lucifer descendant coughed up a decent amount of blood. It had been some time since he last bled.

"I'll make sure you regret ever trying to harm any of my friends again..." Issei stated coldly.

 _ **[Ascalon!** ]_

 _ **Shkk!**_

The Hakuuryukoi's eyes widened to full size. At the call of the red dragon an unbearable pain filled his entire being. His eyes fell to the source of the burning pain and his mouth fell open from it.

In Issei's hand, the holy dragon slaying sword lied. And it was stabbed directly into the gut of the silverette. He was caught completely off guard and hadn't expected for a fellow dragon to wield a weapon that was deadly to their kind. He had no words for this and, for once in a long time, didn't feel so confident.

Issei only looked at him with cold eyes. He kicked his rival off the blade, sending the dragon to the floor. He swiped his blade to the side, splattering the blood that stained it into a crescent on the ground.

"You talk of pawns being sacrificial pieces and how the weak are only here to die to the strong-," Issei spoke as he slowly walked towards his enemy. No one made a move, not even Azazel, everyone stunned from the change in Issei's personality. He wasn't the same from before.

The Sekiryuutei stood above the Hakuryuukou, his eyes piercing into his opponents. Vali stared back, pain clear on his face. The brunette didn't care and placed his foot directly on the spot where the wound was. His response was a grunt of pain from the Lucifer.

"-Now, you'll know how it feels to die by someone who is both a pawn and was called weak by everyone around him!"

Issei rose the blade, ready to plunge it directly into the dragon's heart. His grip tightened and his muscles tensed as he prepared to drive it through.

"Issei!" He heard Kuisha shout. The brunette's eyes widened as he knew of her warning.

He leapt back just in time before a figure landed directly where he had stood.

"Vali, I've come for you," came a cheerful voice.

The dust quickly settled to reveal a young man wearing armour that used to be worn by military commanders of the Three Kingdoms. He also had a long wooden staff in his hand, holding it behind his head and across his shoulders. "Seems I've arrived it time. You look like you've bitten off more than you can chew, haha."

"Bikou, I suppose I owe you one. But what are you doing here?" Vali asked still with pain evident in his voice. He had slowly risen, holding his wound with a hand over it.

"Isn't that cruel? I made a long journey and came all the way to this island country because my partner was close to dying... The other guys were making a fuss at headquarters because we're joining together to fight the northern country gods. You were supposed to flee and return right away if the mission failed, right? Katerea failed to assassinate Michael, Azazel, and Lucifer, right? In that case, your observation role is also over. Come back with me," Bikou explained with a pout, leaving Vali to lower his head and close his eyes. He grunted at the searing pain of his wound. It seemed he definitely had underestimated his opponent.

"…Yes, I would say I've overstayed my welcome."

"Who are you?" Issei asked the new arrival.

"Descendant of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Son Goku. Names Bikou, pleasure Sekiryuutei," the monkey man replied, still as carefree as ever.

"Hm, so you're related to the Son Goku?" Issei wanted to be in awe but the situation didn't call for it. Especially since he still wanted to kill the man hiding behind the staff wielder.

"I'm different from my ancestor, who had became a god. I just live doing as I please as that is my dream," Bikou replied, waving lackadaisical.

"Enough... It's time to go. I must get this treated," Vali ordered, grunting as the dragon slaying properties lit him up with pain once more.

"You think I'm going to let you go?" Issei asked, lifting Ascalon once more. It was then that he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Azazel. The fallen gave him an uncharacteristically serious expression that warned him from attacking.

During that time, the monkey youkai slammed his staff into the ground. A black portal appeared below the duos feet and the two sunk into the earth. Their eyes locked with Issei's once more, the brunette begrudgingly letting them go. But the fire roared even brighter behind the eyes of both dragons. It was obvious that their rivalry would be a destructive one.

Once they were gone, Issei released his new form and Ascalon disappeared along with it. He stared at where his rival was a few seconds ago and could still feel his blood boiling. His words of threat towards Kuisha rang in his ears and a deep possessiveness rose inside him like no other.

He clenched his fist and his jaw tightened. The Pawn came to a quick conclusion and made a promise to himself the very second the thought crossed his mind.

"No one will take her away from me. No one."

 **Okay. We have now made it to the end. And I'm sure a lot of you are kind of blue balled. So lets get into the details on why I have done things this way. But only the few that won't get an explanation in the story. The rest you'll wait for.**

 **First, and the biggest question I've been getting, Albion. No, Issei isn't going to take him away from Vali. And no, hes not taking his power. The reason behind this is I want Issei to become stronger through different means, not through the power of the two heavenly dragons. He'll be gaining new powers through new means with Dragon Shot, Ascalon, and Pierce really being the only ones I want him to keep. Maybe even Dress Break and Booblingual if I ever am desperate enough to dive into those perverted powers.**

 **Second, Kuisha and Issei's relationship. Its gonna push hard the coming chapters. So be prepared.**

 **Third, Rias. I have my plans for her, I don't need any suggestions as her storyline is one of the few I'm dead set on.**

 **Fourth, Issei's new form. Its incomplete and will take some time before he fully evolutionizes. Just in case you were curious.**

 **Alright, I've got nothing else. Join the discord if you want, the link is the same from the past few chapters. Review and let me know your thoughts. I'm always down for a debate.**

 **Okay, i think im done.**

 **Ciao~**


	16. Act IV: Life I

**Its back baby. With another chapter from your Amazon Senpai. Aren't I the best, come on, praise me.**

 **Anywho, enough with the high horse shit. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I'll be at the bottom with more notes if you need me.**

 _"Azazel, why did you stop me?"_

 _Issei turned to the fallen with a sharp glare. One that still held that intense fire behind those hazel orbs. Azazel swore he saw a hint of green._

 _"Woah kid, easy, I'm not Vali. I'm not going to hurt your woman," the Governor replied with raised hands. He even looked back at Kuisha, mentally approving the Sekiryuutei and his tastes._

 _"She's-." The brunette tried to snap back but paused. He realized his thoughts had led him to think and say a few possessive things about his fellow member. But he didn't know how Kuisha felt and had been talking as if their feelings were mutual. His eyes flashed over to Rias who was looking over Gasper and he remembered how, even in the end, gestures weren't a confession. That kiss that fateful night proved that fact. He then looked back to the blonde Queen and felt his heart tightened in a vice. Could those gestures simple be the same? Something that would be seen as simply platonic. "She's not my woman..."_

 _The Pawn lowered his head with his hair shadowing his eyes. After beating the White One with ease, now, he looked completely defeated. His downtrottin mood was met with boisterous laughter and a hand placed firmly on his shoulder. He looked up at the Governor who looked to be amused by the conflicted boy._

 _"Hahaha, you've got a lot to learn about women," he said cryptically, squeezing the brunette's shoulder. It went over Issei's head as he cocked an eyebrow. "Listen, not all of them are the same. Some may surprise you in ways you wouldn't expect."_

 _"You're dodging my question," Issei spoke up, trying to get the topic off of him._

 _"Heh, you caught my ploy," Azazel said, retracting his hand. "What you were about to do... Call it reassurance."_

 _"'Reassurance'? For what?"_

 _The Governor's expression then grew serious. "So that you don't do something you regret."_

 _Issei went to speak but bit his tongue just before he did. Those words made him pause before he opened his mouth. The seraph noticed it and nodded his head._

 _"Smart boy. I understand you're trying to protect your friends but what you were about to do wasn't that," Azazel stated, folding his arms. "You had him beaten, there wasn't much he could do after that. Vali is strong but Ascalon is a very powerful sword that was made to fight dragons. The mages with Katerea, you acted in self defense against. Vali, you knew you had already beaten him."_

 _"He deserved it! I acted in self defense against him as well!"_

 _"Did you..? Or were you really looking for a reason to plunge that sword into the retreating enemy?"_

 _Issei knitted his brows. Then, they started to relax as he started to think rationally. As he thought more on the fallen angel's words, the more they made sense to him. Anyone who has ever killed out of aggression has never been the same afterwards. Hell, killing in general changed a person. And, now that he thought about it, he slowly realized that Vali was beat. He saw hatred in the half-devil but also fear. His fellow dragon would be cautious from this point forward and wouldn't challenge him the same again. As long as Issei could avoid senseless killing, then he could admit he overstepped a line this time. He was lucky for the fallen angel's concern._

 _"I see what you mean. Thank you, Azazel." He said in response._

 _"Forget about it. Pay me back by letting me see more of that new form later on. It caught my interest and that, in itself, is quite the compliment." Azazel started to walk away, waving a hand lazily over his shoulder. A magic circle appeared beneath his feet, starting to glimmer in what was teleportation magic. "I'm heading home, kid. Try to stay out of trouble till we meet again. Oh, and do make sure to think over what I said."_

 **Shin!**

 _With that, the magic circle lit up and faded away, taking the Grigori leader with it. The other fallen angels did the same, leaving the angels and devils to their own devices._

 _The next to come towards the Pawn was the leader of Heaven._

 _"Issei Hyoudou," he greeted with the same kindness from their first encounter._

 _"Lord Michael," the boy replied with a head nod._

 _"I must say, that new form is something to behold," Heaven's leader said with a gentle smile._

 _"Thank you. I don't know how it happened but...it felt right shedding that armor," Issei said, finding momentary difficulty in how to describe what he experienced from the change._

 _"I see. It is something that none of us have seen from any of the past Boosted Gear wielders. I can only hope you continue to use it to do amazing things," the archangel encouraged._

 _"Your words are too kind. That attack against Vali only worked because he underestimated me and because of Ascalon," Issei replied. He'd rather not have what happened from Kokabiel happen again. He got lucky, that was it. He still had a lot of training to do before he reached his goal and people getting the wrong idea would cause future problems he didn't want to deal with at the moment. If not at all._

 _"Hyoudou-kun, Ascalon is a powerful sword, yes, but it's true power lies within the wielder themselves," Michael spoke sage-like. "Someone of the Hakuuryukoi's strength could take multiple strikes and still be able to fight. But for you to have him retreat with the little you did, it speaks volumes of your connection to the holy sword. It was the best decision to give it to you."_

 _Issei's eyes widened at the kind words. The leader of Heaven believed in him. His smile was genuine and his words were very comforting. It was almost unbelievable that they were supposed enemies before. But it seemed he, along with the other leaders, truly wanted this peace to work. Such actions as gifting him the sword and working together against a common enemy made it easy for even a simpleton, like Issei, to understand._

 _"T-Thank you, Lord Michael."_

 _"You are very welcome. May you continue on your path to a higher resolution in life."_

 _Issei nodded his head vigorously. Looking back at the angel, Issei then noticed something move behind the leader. When he saw what it was, more specifically who, he thought on something before looking up with added resolve._

 _"Lord Michael, if you would please hear the request of this lowly devil..."_

 _"What is it, my son?" The archangel showed intrigue after noticing the look in the Pawn's eyes._

 _Issei motioned him closer, Michael complying. He leaned in and whispered something into the leader's ear. The angel nodded every few seconds before his eyes finally widened. A smile quickly followed as he pulled away._

 _"I see. I do believe it is something within my power. Is that all you truly desire?" He asked. The boy nodded immediately and his smile widened. "You are truly kind, Issei Hyoudou. If I heard you that night, I would have rescued you myself without hesitation."_

 _"Your words comfort me, Lord Michael. But I feel it's my obligation to do so. I can only imagine all that she's been to up to this point."_

 _"Yes. And I still regret what I had done. But I'm glad to know that she has someone like you watching over her."_

 _"Thank you."_

 _They shared a smile._

 _"Well, it is time for me to return to Heaven. I do wish you luck in all that you do, Hyoudou-kun. And hope that, with this alliance, we all grow closer and stronger together."_

 _"Likewise."_

 _And with that, a bright golden light enveloped Michael and all of the other angels. And, like Azazel, they were gone once it faded. All that was left were the devils._

 _Issei made his way over to the one person he had been meaning to talk to. It had been some time and he was sure she had a lot to say to him now. Especially with all that's transpired._

 **Step!**

 _"Asia.." He said softly, stopping a few feet away from her._

 _The former nun looked back at him. She had been waiting patiently to talk with him since she heard of his return during Kokabiel's attack. Then when he appeared at Kuoh Academy during the parent's visitation, she grew upset that she missed him again. And now, she had waited the entire meeting and the invasion, to finally be able to speak with him._

 _The Bishop had finally witnessed how much the boy had changed. Not just with his strength but mentally as well. He wasn't as perverted anymore, nor was he childish. He had matured and had goals that someone could actually be proud of. Other than himself, of course._

 _And all of that made her realize just how far he got from her. Both in power and as a person. She had been training diligently to try and be more useful but she could only do so much with her fellow peerage members. And even with all of that, she still found herself leagues behind the one she was trying to aim for._

 _It made her question if she really deserved to be by his side. So, when he opened his arms and smiled at her, she felt her legs grow weak and her eyes sting and moisten. She leapt towards him without a second thought and wrapped her arms around his waist._

 _"Issei...san," she replied carefully. His smile widened and he nodded._

 **Drip!**

 _Her tears started to spill as she saw that same warmth from the day she was revived in the church. She dug her face into his chest, uncaring of the fact he still lacked a shirt, as she cried. The brunette didnt seem to mind it as he simply soothed her by rubbing the top of her head._

 _"I know... I'm sorry for ignoring you all this time..." He said gently._

 _Issei hadn't realized how much he missed her. How much he missed the one he swore to protect at all costs. The one he risked everything to save. The one who called him her first friend. The one who accepted being a devil just so she could be with him._

 _He never blamed her for what happened to him. He didn't blame her for not saying anything that fateful day he was traded. Even he knew at the time, her words would do nothing to sway Rias at the time. So he couldn't be angry at her, not like he could anyways. He could never be angry towards Asia. And with the way she hugged him, the way she was shedding those tears, the way she clung to him, it only solidified it. She missed him too._

 _"I'm sorry, Issei-san... I'm sorry," she continued to cry out._

 _He just held her, soothing her the best he could._

 _"I know, Asia. I'm sorry too."_

-XOXOXOXOX-

 _ **DOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNN**_

The building shook violently, breaking Issei from his thoughts. He looked back to the ending of the meeting again. He had been thinking about it since that day, focusing on everyone's words. The words of his superiors made him really question where he was at and how much stronger he would have to get. He wanted to stand on par with them and possibly surpass them one day, a goal Ddraig was quick to get behind. And, with that in mind, he decided to up his training.

His training with Ladora and Gandoma had become much more intense. Ladora now used his dragon form and Gandoma solidified his defenses by summoning the rocks beneath him as reinforced armor. They would then begin a spar, two on one of course, till Issei's Scale Mail shattered. Then he was to resummon it and they would start again. He was able to do it two more times but was extremely exhausted afterwards. They were on a limited time, after all and Issei was doing his best to first master the Scale Mail before trying to utilize his new form. It was still an unstable state and he needed to grow stronger first.

Liban and Beruka had also upped their training regimen with the Pawn. Now, with Ascalon, they had no fear of shattering the boy's blade in their duels. They made sure to advise against using his Scale Mail form so he wouldn't become reliant on it. As much as Issei hated that, they made a valid point that he wouldn't always have his armor as a secondary defense. So, it was better he got use to defending and deflecting attacks without having to fall back on the armor to protect him.

Finally, Misteeta and Coriana would finish off his training. After Issei's new evolution, they noticed an increase in his magic reserves. With this, they immediately began to have Issei meditate and learn to tap into the new reservoir of energy. It was also unstable, having come from his new evolution, so they couldn't do much but it was something that, with time, could turn Issei into an unstoppable force on the battlefield. With careful instruction, they made sure he only got used to the feeling of the new power flowing through him but advised against him doing anything dangerous with it.

Everyone was excited for the brunette. His rapid growth was extremely motivating to the group and no one wanted to be left behind. So, not only did it increase the morality of the team but also increased the overall strength of the entire peerage. No one would allow themselves to be beaten by the other and they grew as a unit, training together.

 _ **DOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNN**_

Another explosion broke the boy's thoughts. He really needed to stop daydreaming. At least in situations like this.

"This is why I didn't want the us to gather before the meeting..." Issei heard Sairaorg complain.

The peerage had originally decided to stand outside until the situation resolved itself. But, with the arrival of the Gremory and Sitri heiress's, Issei could assume his King had enough. So, now the three Kings and their peerages made their way into the banquet hall to see how much trouble the ones inside had caused.

The Sitri and Gremory groups both had wide eyes as they took in the destruction of the room. Tables were destroyed, chairs were broken, and the decorations on the wall were either ripped, burning, or smoking. All in all, the place was a complete mess.

At the center, devils looked to be split in half and glaring at one another. One side had human-like devils while the other had more goblin-like devils. The pointy ears, jagged teeth, and even a wart or two on some.

Leading on both sides were two devils. Both Kings, like the Sitri, Gremory, and Bael.

On the former's side, a young woman with blonde hair and red eyes sat at a table. She sipped on a cup of tea calmly while the chaos ensued around her. She seemed mostly undisturbed by it all, albeit a look of irritation on her face.

Across from her, on the latter side, a delinquent stood against her. He had dark skin with blue hair. And he wore an outfit that Issei swore looked like a unicorn took a shit on. No one in their right mind would be caught dead in it. And he was wearing it, and alive, so what did that say about him.

Oh, they're arguing.

"Zephydor, you're causing a disturbance. Honestly, you need to calm down," the girl berated. She wore glasses and they had that ominous glare that would make any man freeze in his tracks.

Of course, her fellow devil was unaffected by it. "Shut your mouth, bitch Agares. You're all hot shit because your family is second to the Great Kings huh? Is that why you reek of virgin?"

"Such vulgarity comes from your mouth. Maybe I should fuse it shut!"

"Is it because of this attitude that you can't get a man? If you'd ask nicely, maybe I can show you the wiles of adulthood."

Issei didn't like this guy. Although, it seemed no one really did. But he really didn't like him because he spoke so perversely. Was that really how he was before?

 _ **[You have no idea...]**_

 _'Shut it! You've been quiet for a long time, stay quiet.'_

Sairaorg stepped forward, catching the brunette's attention. The heir cracked his knuckles and neck, his eyes narrowed. Guess it was time to end the debacle.

"Zephydor Glaysa-Labolas, I'll ask that you not speak to my fiancee with such a tone," the Bael heir spoke up. There was no room for an argument in that sentence. It wasn't a request, it was an order.

"Hehh, you two...? Haha, it makes sense then. You both always seem to have sticks up your asses, so it's perfect!" The dark skinned teen seemed to not pick up on the tension building. Issei could see the look in his King's eyes and was quite surprised to see such a look of anger. He could tell his master didn't take kindly to someone mocking someone he cared about.

"I'll kick your ass then take Seekvaira and show her what a real man-"

 ** _GOOONNN!_**

 ** _CRACK!_**

The goblin devil couldn't even finish his sentence. The moment he spoke of the Agares heiress, Sairaorg moved and buried his fist deep into the boy's gut. He was further embarrassed when the heir sent the delinquent flying into the wall.

It was obvious Zephydor had lost consciousness by the fact his eyes were rolled into the back of his head. His peerage was forced to remove him from the wall and carry him off to be treated. The Bael had barely held back and might have broken a rib or two. But it was better than what he originally wanted to do.

"I take it you have nothing to say?" He asked, turning to the blonde heiress.

"No, he was bothering me and I simply wanted him gone. Thank you," Seekvaira replied, setting her teacup down.

"Alright. Have everyone repair the hall. I'd rather not have a mess before the Maous and elders arrive."

Seekvaira nodded her head. "As you wish, my love~." The little teasing tone she had made one of Sairaorg's eyebrows twitch. But he then closed his eyes and smiled.

-XOXOXOXOX-

"Seekvaira Agares of the Agares Household. Rank, Archduke."

"Rias Gremory of the Gremory Household. Rank, Duke."

"Sona Sitri of the Sitri Household. Rank, Prince."

"Sairaorg Bael of the Bael Household. Rank, Great King."

"Diodora Astaroth of the Astaroth Household. Rank, Duke."

"Good, with introductions out of the way, we can finally talk freely," Sairaorg said with a grin.

"Yes, we had quite the...interesting start, so to say," Diodora added.

"I agree. But I'm to assume Zephydor won't be a problem for the remainder of this meeting?" Seekvaira asked.

"No, he is unconscious and doesn't look to be waking up any time soon. So he was sent home," Sona informed, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

"I see," the blonde replied, doing the same.

"Still, we must take it easy on him. His family is going through a recent lost, if I remember correctly," Diodora spoke up. The other young devils looked as if they remembered too.

"Ah, yes, that is very true. The death of the former heir might have taken a toll on him," Sona thought aloud.

"Then I may be able to excuse his attitude tonight. But only once. That delinquency will not be tolerated by the elders or myself," Sairaorg stated with a firm fist planted on the table.

"Ah, so you kids have been quite busy, hmm?" A new voice joined the fray. Everyone turned to see Sirzechs smiling at them and their eyes widened.

""Maou-sama!""

-XOXOXOXOX-

After the meeting had concluded, devils started taking their leave. The Maous and elders were first, seeing as they still had many tasks left to complete. Diodora and Sona weren't too far behind, the latter wanting to get an early start on her training for the upcoming Rating Game against her best friend.

Issei had found himself wandering off. It had been difficult for him since his return to the Underworld. More specifically, the words of a certain Governor.

Azazel had spoken to him about his relationship with Kuisha. But it left the brunette more confused than at ease. And why shouldn't it, it seemed that women didn't take kindly to him at all. At least, once they got to know him.

Since he started high school women hated his guts. Teachers, students, faculty, moms, sisters, there wasn't a single female who found interest in him but to see what his head would look like on a pike. But the Pawn would chalk that up to his perverted tendencies. Looking back at it, he did come off as stalkerish and creepy. In all honesty, he should have been arrested.

One of the main examples, however, was when Yuuma-no-Raynare had shown up... After she had asked him out, Issei made a promise to himself. He wasn't going to do anything perverted on their first date. No leering, no groping, no creeping, none of that. He was going to be a gentleman. Much like Kiba, in fact.

And, lo and behold, by the end of the day he had a light spear stabbed through him. He was called boring and drab and was left for dead in a park. That should have been it.

No, of course not though. Rias had revived him and made him into her Pawn. He called out for someone to save him and...she did. She knew of his perverted tendencies, who didn't, but allowed him to indulge in them nonetheless, albeit with a grain of salt. She even went as far as to save his friend, revive her, and rid him of the woman who broke his heart. Issei had assumed those actions were Rias's way of showing that she accepted him. And from that point on his heart had started to heal.

The brunette began to train and grow stronger, all with the idea of pleasing his master in mind. Hoping she would notice him and smile that same smile that gave him life once more. That she may be proud of him and never regret her decision.

Then, Raiser came along. He claimed her as his fiancee and those of the devil world accepted it. Seeing the freedom she usually displayed be slowly sucked out of the woman he had come to adore, it enraged him. He saw the displeasure on her face and how no one seemed to care or be able to do anything about it. His words had carried no weight either.

But they were given a chance to help her. Issei prepared himself to fight for her as she had for him. To rid her of such an awful man that was Raiser Phenex. And, for the first time in Issei's life, he hated a fellow pervert.

Then they failed. No, Issei had failed.

The boy told himself that he didn't try hard enough. That he didn't give it his all during training. That everyone was counting on him and he let them all down. Because he was weak and just a mere Low-class devil.

So he sacrificed a piece of himself. He sacrificed his arm, just to have a slim chance at saving her. He sacrificed his heart to her, hoping to communicate his admiration towards her in this last burst of effort to free her. And he sacrificed what was left of his already shattered pride in an attempt to make sure no one tried to come after his master again.

And he won.

Issei beat Raiser. Despite using a cross and holy water, he had won. He saved his King, he saved her freedom, and he saved that smile. And he was rewarded with a kiss that meant more than anything in his life. A kiss that he had hoped would lead to what he had been wanting for all those years.

Love.

Love that showed he belonged somewhere. With someone. To be with till the end of time.

Issei simply wanted to be loved.

The only reason he spoke of a harem as he did was because he wanted a lot of it. His parents weren't the kindest when he was younger and he was starved of what one would call love. His grandfather was the only one and he told Issei of this mysterious emotion that gave people the power to change reality itself, all for the sake of this one other person. Issei wanted to have that kind of love with many others and it morphed him into the harem king dreamer he once was.

But, all those dreams had come crashing down in smoke and fire. He came to the club in bright spirits to leave in low depression. His master, his savior, had called him out on luck and cheap tactics and wanted nothing to do with him. So she cast him aside, traded him away to try and right what she thought was wrong. And, with such an action, had unknowingly shattered Issei's still mending heart into dust. But with it, his aspiration of any female actually finding any affection towards him had been imprisoned in the recesses of his mind.

"Issei..?"

"-!?"

He had been caught off guard again. His daydreaming was becoming a real problem. He turned to the person behind him and was quite surprised at who he saw.

"A-Akeno...senpai..?"

The beautiful woman was dressed in a stunning, elegant kimono. It fit her perfectly and embellished her beauty flawlessly. Issei would be speechless by the attire if not concerned by the worried look he saw on her face.

"Issei..you're..."

The Pawn was confused until he finally felt a wetness on his face. He reached up to his cheek before pulling his hand back to look at it. A few droplets of a clear liquid sat at his fingertips before sliding down and dropping off.

 _ **Drip!**_

And then he realized it and his eyes widened.

Issei was crying.

 **Alright. This is one of the bigger chapters I've done in some time. Its been really fun to write and I can say that the fire grows stronger each day. So hopefully I can continue to excite you with where things are going.**

 **The next arc will officially kick off next chapter and it will be a divergence from the usual shit. Its not a training arc...sort of, and it will definitely be one you dont want to miss.**

 **Also, how bout that Seekvaira and Sairaorg loving. What better way to give the best Aniki ever some sexy time than with the tsundere princess who has to stay strong against his charismatic leadership.**

 **As for Asia, her reintroduction is small here but will have its time to shine coming later down the line. The cliffhanger with Akeno is a surprise to all, even my close circle, until the next chapter is out. Which should be around the beginning of November.**

 **Uhh, Happy Halloween I guess. Don't eat too much candy. And join my discord if you feel, its a few chapters back for the link.**

 **Anyways, check out my other stories if you haven't. Review on this bad boy, I love to read your comments guys. And Senpai is always watching.**

 **Ciao~**


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